The Legacy of Paneau: Acceptance
by Sile Crowley
Summary: Sequel to LOP: Renewal. After a momentary return to normalcy, the Rys'tihns and Natiyrs must prevent a sector-wide terror plot that seems to have been orchestrated by a familiar foe. Occurs 1.5 APC.
1. Chapter 1

"Koril?"

As he awoke, he felt Elena's soft, cool fingers slowly tracing his cheek and jawline. He drew in a deep breath, smiling as he looked up at her in the muted lighting of their room.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly with obvious concern. Her luminous green eyes still mesmerized him, but he nodded after a moment, lightly stretching on the couch as he answered her.

"Yeah, I was just resting a little before we left."

As usual, she didn't look convinced.

"Koril...we don't have to go."

He blinked and laughed in surprise at her. "Uh...yeah, we do."

"Koril--"

"Elena!" he laughed again, finding it humorous. "We're not missing our _own reception_! I'm fine, I promise."

Still concerned, she brought her hand to his neck, checking his pulse. With a tired smile, though, he grasped her hand instead and stood, proving to her his good condition. Though she looked as though she would protest, he silenced her as he kissed her sweetly, pulling her tightly against himself. She relaxed after a few moments, smiling, too, as she stepped back.

Even in the dark room, he could see the outline of her breathtaking, simple white dress sparkling as she moved. Each curl of her swept up, jet-black hair shined with a brief gleam, and on her skin, he could still smell the light, pleasant fragrance of the bouquet of purple panna flowers she had held earlier during their wedding. He hadn't taken his eyes off her all night, except when he had taken a quick nap while she was supposed to have been preparing to go downstairs...

Looking down at the back of her dress, though, he saw that she hadn't yet pinned it up. He met her gaze again, arching his eyebrows playfully. "You're not even ready to go."

She smiled sheepishly. "I had to check on Derek. It won't take me long to finish."

He smiled and kissed her again, gently brushing her cheek with his fingers as she stepped back again.

"You worry too much," he told her softly. "I'll wait here, you go get ready."

Smiling as she nodded, she squeezed his hand and returned to the room's large closet, tugging at her dress train. He watched her for a few moments before he sat back down on the couch, sighing contentedly to himself in their bedroom, the largest and most luxurious in the stunning Rys'tihn Retreat.

The past six months had been both very frustrating but also rewarding at the same time. After being released from intense medical care on the city-planet, the trip from Coruscant to Paneau had been brutal on his frail system, resulting in several episodes where his heart completely stopped for a few minutes. With the help of a few nurses, Elena and Mand were able to keep him stable enough to make it home, but he wasn't far removed from death. Having been so weakened by the Huxnel's foul virus and its subsequent complications in the months following its remission, he was bound to have a difficult recovery. He just hadn't expected it to get so much worse before he got better.

He spent the first three months confined to bed, slowly working his strength back up. Eating solid food again had even been an obstacle; he struggled to keep anything other than water down for a number of weeks. Once he was able to eat, though, he steadily began improving. Daily exercises with the help of a team of trainers rebuilt his muscles to once again give him the strength to stand, and though they carefully monitored his heart at all times, he was finally able to move about the Rys'tihn Manor, his home he hadn't seen since he had been taken prisoner by the Huxnel almost a year prior. He wasn't nearly as physically fit as he had been before, but he was getting closer, and just thankful to still be alive, he could get through it.

His long recovery also afforded him the time to spend at home with his son Derek, watching him grow before his eyes. He hadn't even been conscious when Derek was born on Agamar, and the boy was more than a week old before he had met him. But finally able to participate in Derek's life, Koril reveled in every hour and kept him nearby as much as he could.

He had also tried to make up lost time with Elena, as well, amazed every day by her patience with him. She made sure he always had someone with him if she herself couldn't stay at his side, even going so far as to borrow his Edgepoints from their duties from time to time to keep him company. Medical staff was almost constantly on hand at her request, tending to him as he improved, so the Manor was rarely a quiet place during the day. Elena sometimes left to work with Paneau's teenaged king Verojec Banarecc when he needed advice, but she always returned at sundown in time to relax at dinner with him and with all their guests who had been visiting for the day. Without fail, she checked on him first, as though she were his nurse. She was his best friend, his staunchest supporter, the mother of his son...

And now, she was his wife.

At times, he still wasn't quite sure how he had ended up so fortunate after all that had happened to him over the past few years. With his father's death in the Dalon Palace collapse a year and a half ago, he became the last of the Rys'tihn Royal Family, but his troubles hadn't ended there. He then survived two bounty hunter attacks, but only just, thanks to the close proximity of a Jedi each time. Elena had first saved his life in the Dalon Council Hall, removing a deadly spear from his chest just after he had restored a Banarecc to the Crown, and it wouldn't be her last.

She again came to his aid a few weeks later when he had faced six Dark Jedi beside his friends Rech and Mand Natiyr. He had seen the confrontation in his dreams in the month leading up to it, and he had been positive he was seeing his death after suffering an intense Force Lightning attack, as a prophecy predicted the death of a Jedi. His Force-sensitivity, the reason he had been having the dreams in the first place, seemed to connect him to Elena in a way he couldn't yet understand. Perhaps as a result of their connection, he survived the assault with her timely arrival shortly after he had been injured.

Hardly three months after that, he had barely avoided another attack at the hands of the vile Huxnel that Paneau had faced years before. They wasted no time in capturing his friends, as well as his Tyro Ghost Heir and twin sister Deilia, forcing him to offer himself in exchange. Once they infected him with their torturous virus, he thought once again that he would lose the fight, even after being rescued months later. But his friends had done everything they could to save him, despite his own disillusionment. He hadn't realized it until later, but he had a constant vigil of Paneau, consisting of Royals, Royal Guard and Navy, and other well-wishers that stayed with him the entire time he had been recovering on Coruscant. And there had been so many of them that he couldn't even find them all to thank them personally. He had issued a broadcast to the Paneau as a whole, informing them of his state, his prognosis, and his intention to remain Head of Security with the king's permission. Of course Jec had agreed, only too happy to have his most trusted advisor back. Koril had only officially returned to his duties in the past week, but he was eager to get back to his office and resume working. His honeymoon with Elena would wait for a few months, but they at least had the rest of the night...

Though he knew Elena was just around the corner in the closet, he heard the soft whoosh of an opening door behind him. He quickly stood after hearing two whispering voices, and turning toward them in the dim room, he saw two people standing just inside the seldom-used door that lead to the Retreat's lower tunnels. Only a Rys'tihn Crest could open the door, and as he stepped closer, he recognized the blond woman as his twin sister and family Ghost Heir, Deilia, who smiled at him.

"Koril!" she greeted him happily as she embraced him tightly. "You look so good!"

Koril hugged her back, glad to see her, too. The last time he had seen her, she had been a captive of the Huxnel while also several months pregnant. As she stepped back, he looked over her slight frame with confusion, but glancing behind her at a familiar young man holding a quiet infant in his arms, he relaxed.

"So do you," he answered with a smile. She had only been a few weeks behind Elena with her child, and as he looked at the infant, he could see little difference in age from his own son Derek.

"I'm sorry I couldn't see you sooner," she said with a slight twinge of regret, "but I had to be sure you'd..."

"Survive," he finished for her, but his expression didn't change. As his family's Ghost Heir, Deilia had duties to the Known Heirs, protecting them when they were most vulnerable, or in his case, taking over the family if the last remaining Known Heir died. She was his twin sister, so even though he hadn't grown up with her or even known about her until a year ago, they shared a special bond, and he understood and respected her role in the Rys'tihn Royal Family.

Deilia smiled. "And you did, so here I am, getting to congratulate my big brother on his wedding day. Where's your new bride?"

"Right here," Elena said as she curiously stepped around the corner. She hadn't yet finished with her dress, but she didn't seem bothered by the interruption. She smiled broadly at the infant, and as she stepped towards them, Deilia continued her introductions.

"Koril, Elena, this is Jorro. He's also a Ghost Heir."

Jorro nodded with a familiar, awkward smile as he gently rocked the baby in his arms. "I imagine you probably don't have to guess which family I belong to."

Koril had already speculated about him after studying his unmistakable Ot'rio face, and beside him, Elena laughed. "We won't tell anyone."

Appreciatively, Jorro nodded again, and as Deilia carefully tugged the little one from his arms, he stepped back.

"And this," she concluded as she sat the infant upright in her arms and turned to face them again, "is our son, your new Ghost Heir, Malin Rys'tihn."

Uninterested in his aunt and uncle in front of him, the boy quickly gripped one of his mother's fingers in a slobbery hold. Intent on gnawing on it, he tucked his head, leaning his open mouth over her hand. Though Deilia tried to sit him back up, he stubbornly wouldn't budge, prompting Elena to reach out and rescue her, laughing as she sat him on her hip.

"He's adorable, Deilia," Koril laughed as he watched Elena with him. She bounced Malin at her side, making him squeal happily and momentarily forget his chewing mission.

Deilia smiled. "He has a few years before he's officially installed as the new Tyro Heir, but it'll be a quick transition. Cade already has his room picked out here."

"I'm sure he does," Koril answered with a playful eye roll. The little amount he had seen of his uncle and Master Ghost Heir Cade Rys'tihn easily indicated that he was not a patient man, but to be fair, none of the Rys'tihn men Koril had known in his life were: his father Merli'il, his grandfather Akan, his great-uncle Tormin... With the addition of Malin as Deilia's successor, Cade would soon be relieved of his Ghost Heir duties, free to live the remainder of his life on the well-fortified, remote Rys'tihn Retreat as he pleased. If only Koril knew how to better reward his dedicated, hardworking uncle...

Reaching out for her son, Deilia smiled at them both. "We shouldn't keep you much longer. Your party awaits." Elena handed Malin back over, but as they both were turning to leave, Koril stopped them briefly, looking at them with a sincere smile.

"Deilia, Jorro...thank you both for the work you did here."

Expectedly, they exchanged confused glances before returning to him. "We didn't do much."

Koril nodded. "But you did what was most important."

The interior of the Rys'tihn Retreat had been utterly ravaged in a fierce firefight between a dozen Huxnel agents and Cade, Deilia, and Elena's friend and fellow Jedi Kihara Marelleck just days before Koril would hand himself over to them willingly. The Huxnel had somehow disabled the perimeter defenses that allowed them into the Retreat in the first place, and after taking Deilia hostage, they had used her Crest to continue their assault into the Rys'tihn Manor as he and Elena slept. What Koril had found out after his recovery was that even though Jethro Trislena, a member of the Trislena Royal Family, had personally seen to the Retreat's restoration in time for Koril and Elena's wedding there, it was the Ghost Heirs who had completely reworked the Retreat's security systems. The doors and tunnels not only required a Rys'tihn Crest, but a palm read before entrance or exit. A sophisticated cam droid counted the number of beings it saw against the number of Crests it detected, and if the discrepancy was more than one or two, the doors would remain sealed. Koril couldn't have done more thorough upgrades himself.

Though her expression faltered briefly as she remembered her own involvement in the Retreat's damage, Deilia smiled again, nodding appreciatively. "You're welcome."

Behind her in Jorro's arms, Malin squealed and bounced, earning everyone's attention before Deilia spoke once more.

"Please extend our gratitude to your friend Rech again," she said kindly. "We owe him everything."

Koril smiled and nodded, and as Deilia and Jorro left with Malin still gleefully babbling down the hall, Elena tightly took hold of Koril's arm beside him, resting her head against his shoulder. He leaned over and kissed her gently at her temple, keeping his voice soft as he inclined his head to her.

"Let me help you finish getting ready."

Elena smiled as she looked up at him, and raising up on her tiptoes to kiss him, she enfolded her fingers with his, locking their hands together in her cool grip.

* * *

_Okay, the fruit, the wine, the dinner trays..._

"Mand," Rech caught her by her arm as she paced past the tables for the tenth time, "relax. The hands have everything under control."

Mand Natiyr gave her husband Rech a blank look. He was calm, but she couldn't understand why. There was still so much to do before Koril and Elena arrived...

"No," Rech tugged at her arm again, shoving a glass of wine into her hand before she could get away. "You're not working anymore. You're going to enjoy yourself, alright?"

Mand looked down at the glass numbly, hardly registering it sitting in her palm. Only after a few more moments did Rech realize his mistake.

"Oh!! It's not wine, love, it's ganta juice. Don't worry," he said with a grin, "no one will know the difference unless you tell them. Now, will you _please_ relax?"

"The musicians, are they--"

"Ready and waiting in the hall next door."

"Have all the guests arrived? We didn't give them _exact_ directions..."

"Mand!" Rech laughed. "I think everyone made it up the stairs from the foyer to this bright and lavishly decorated ballroom easily enough."

Finally recognizing the absurdity of her concerns, Mand laughed a little, too, and hung her head, leaning against Rech briefly as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry," she confessed with blushing cheeks. "I just wanted everything to go well."

"Right now, _you're_ the only thing that's not going well. You had six whole months to plan it all down to the number of ice cubes in each glass... But honestly, I really don't think Elena's going to notice as much as you think she will. So long as this place remains standing, I think it'll be a memorable night."

Looking out at all the guests who were mingling pleasantly and already enjoying themselves while they waited for the new couple to arrive, Mand sighed wistfully, sipping at her glass of ganta juice. "I was hoping it would be as wonderful as ours..."

Rech arched an eyebrow at her curiously. "Ours was arranged by Tascit, and I can guarantee you that she had no less than fifteen staff members working on it at any given time. This one was just you." He paused briefly, grasping her hand gently as he turned to face her, his voice just barely heard over the dull roar of the crowd. "But it's beautiful, Mand. Everything's...personal, intimate... This will be a special day, too, for all of us."

Humbly shaking her head to dismiss his praise, she leaned into him again, wrapping her arms tightly around him as he did the same around her. She could feel him extending his peaceful thoughts into hers through the Force, easily calming her racing mind. She hadn't been without him long after he had left on his healing mission in the Outer Rim, but working with him on Koril and Elena's wedding as Elena's Matron of Honor, Mand had been deeply reconnecting with Rech as they went along. She was constantly reminded of her own wedding, and while her friends' wedding couldn't be in the same mystical Crystal Room that had been a part of the Dalon Palace destroyed a year and a half ago, she wanted to create the same kinds of memories she still cherished.

"So," Rech whispered softly as he still held tight to her, "are you going to tell her?"

Mand shook her head. "No, not tonight."

"Why not? I'm sure she'll be thrilled."

But again, she shook her head, looking up at him with a tired smile. "It's okay, it can wait one more day. Besides," she said as she looked out to the crowd again, "this is their night. I don't want to--"

Surprising her, Rech began planting soft kisses down the side of her neck, making her laugh. "Okay, okay, okay!" As he released her and looked at her properly, she offered her surrender.

"Tomorrow."

He gave her an expectant look, forcing her to continue. "...morning." Again. "...first thing?"

Finally appeased, he laughed and kissed her, and though he beamed with elation and looked as though he could announce it to the entire ballroom at that moment, a ringing bell caught everyone's attention at the top of the stairs that came from the Retreat's upper level bedrooms. Two Royal Navy officers stood at attention facing the crowd, and one spoke up in a commanding voice.

"Honored guests, members of Paneau's Royal Families, and Your Highness, King Verojec Banarecc, it is my honor to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Koril Rys'tihn!"

Cheers and clapping greeted Koril and Elena as they made their way down the staircase, both sporting euphoric smiles while meeting their first round of friends on their way into the hall. Knowing it would be several minutes before they made it over to their table to their drinks, Mand downed the rest of her ganta juice and set her empty glass down, replacing it with two full glasses of wine to take to the newlyweds.


	2. Chapter 2

Though Mand got to Koril and Elena with their drinks, as they thanked her she was immediately pulled away by Jedi Master Amina Kanomin who smiled warmly and tugged a young girl behind her.

"This is all so magnificent, Mand," Master Kanomin said kindly as she pulled the girl up into her arms. The little one shared the same dark, curly hair as Amina, as well as the Jedi Master's bright blue eyes, and as Mand smiled at her, she shyly wrapped her arms around Amina's neck.

"Thank you, Master. I'm glad you could make it."

"I would have made my husband Kyp come as well, but he had just taken an assignment at the Jedi Temple, so I brought along my little shadow instead. Mand, this is my daughter Daxaly." Amina inclined her head to the girl, trying to draw her out of her shell. "Come on, Dax, say hello!"

But Dax merely shook her head and tightened her hold of her mother's neck, making Mand laugh. "It's okay, Daxaly. Have you met the other girls here? I think there are a few who would love to play with you."

At that Daxaly looked up and smiled, excitedly holding up four fingers to Mand. "I'm four. I want to play house."

"I bet Pallas and Princess Ri want to play that, too." Mand reached out her hand to Daxaly, and as Amina set her back down on the floor, Dax held tightly to Mand's hand. As one of the Rys'tihn caretakers walked by, Mand stopped her and knelt down to Dax, smiling at her. "This is my friend Kollie, okay? She'll take you to the girls to play. You'll have a lot of fun, I promise."

Dax looked up to Kollie and her mother curiously, but looking back to Mand, she smiled and nodded. "Okay."

With her earlier shyness gone, Daxaly released Mand's hand and left with Kollie eagerly, leaving Mand with Master Kanomin again. The petite Jedi Master smiled contentedly as Daxaly left, but as she returned to Mand, her expression became more serious.

"Master Lithess told me about what happened on Coruscant, Mand."

Mand's expression fell, too. "I don't want to talk about it tonight."

"Mand," Master Kanomin continued, "you made an impression--"

"Master, please..."

"A _good _one. All you have to do now is meet with the Committee, and pass the trials."

Though it was what she had wanted to hear since being forced to forfeit her right to carry a lightsaber over a year ago, she wished it would have come at an earlier time. She had other things to focus on for the time being...

"Thank you, Master Kanomin," Mand answered graciously, "but I'll have to think about it."

Master Kanomin looked puzzled but asked nothing more, smiling kindly as she turned to chat pleasantly with one of the Edgepoints behind her. Mand continued to make her way through the crowd, smiling and briefly greeting those she passed. Once she could see the group of children at the far corner of the ballroom being tended to by a handful of nannies as they played, she relaxed, seeing her daughter Cordira with them.

The eighteen-month-old girl with fire-red hair paced back and forth, just like her mother, but as Mand continued to watch her, she saw the girl returning to Derek Rys'tihn, barely seven months old, handing him a new toy on each trip. Raen, the nanny holding Derek on her lap, took the toys for him, of course, but Derek seemed to enjoy every gift. They were quite a pair already, nevermind not even being related to each other.

"They're fine, Mand," came a kind, familiar voice behind her. She smiled as she turned to him, tugging her dark purple dress from around her feet.

"I know, Sire," she said as she bowed slightly. "Can you blame me, though?"

Veon Banarecc lowered and shook his head, sighing. "Mand, we've been through this..."

Mand smiled broadly as she pulled the former monarch into a tight hug. "This is a formal occasion, Sire. You might have to get used to it."

"I'm still not used to the guard detail Koril assigned to me a year ago, if that tells you anything," Veon confessed as he accepted a glass of wine from a passing waiter. Though he began to grab one for Mand, she was able to kindly stop him before he took it. When he gave her a curious look, she smiled shyly as she shook her head, but it did nothing to lessen his interest. "But I haven't seen you drink anything at all tonight."

"Actually, I had some ganta juice earl--"

"Ganta juice," he repeated with disbelief, his expression intensifying as he considered his thoughts. "Mand...are you--"

"Shh!" she managed to stop him in time, but she wasn't able to keep from drawing the attention of those around her. She smiled at them politely until they returned to their own conversations, and as she turned back to Veon, she couldn't stave off a broad smile from her face as she kept her voice low. "Yes," she continued with bated excitement, "but I don't want it known right now. Once all this is over, we'll make an announcement."

Looking about as overjoyed as a new grandparent, Veon smiled delightedly as he embraced her tightly again. "Oh, Mand, this is so wonderful! How far?"

Glancing around briefly to make sure they hadn't again caught anyone's attention nearby, she looked back to Veon, maintaining a soft tone. "About a month."

"I'm so happy for you, Mand," Veon continued. "You look happy, too. You're absolutely radiant."

Mand nodded, still unable to contain her smile. "Thank you, Sire, and I am--_we_ are very excited," she corrected herself.

"What a fantastic day," he said cheerfully as he gazed over to Koril and Elena who were still being accosted by guests in the middle of the ballroom. "Now," he teased, "please don't tell me that this is going to turn into some kind of race between you and Elena..."

Mand laughed, shaking her head. "No, at least...not unless there's something _she_ hasn't told me?"

Shaking his head, too, Veon chuckled, looking at the nannies with all the children behind them. "No, I'm sure Derek will be enough of a handful for them for the time being. Then again, I thought the same of you and Cordira, and you've proven me wrong yet again."

"Just because she's a busy little girl doesn't mean that I won't be able to handle another."

Veon laughed warmly, watching his daughter Ri leading Pallas Jax, Daxaly Kanomin, and Tegg Gedall around the nannies in a fast-paced game of Follow the Leader. Cordira tried to keep up with the older, quicker children, squealing as she made wobbly steps behind them. She eventually lost out to her uncoordinated legs and fell back on her padded rear, watching the others interestedly instead as she beat together two wooden blocks to make noise that drew attention to herself. Veon caught Mand's gaze again, arching an eyebrow with a teasing grin.

"Famous last words," he said as he reached a hand gently around the back of her neck and kissed her lightly at her temple. She gave him a wry smile as he left, but finally able to survey the crowd, she took a few minutes to look around and gauge the mood of the room.

Elena's parents Race and Sirema Lyran were the first she saw as they passed her on their way to their grandson. The Lyrans had stayed at the Rys'tihn Manor for months while they waited for Elena's return with Koril, but they had only recently returned for the wedding. The Hoth natives were both teachers at a small school on the ice planet, and Mand had only met them a few times before. They seemed almost overly protective of their daughter, and now of their grandson Derek, as well, but in light of all that she and Elena had endured in the past few years, Mand knew their anxiety was well-founded.

But the two looked happy and carefree as they rescued Derek from the craziness that Ri had started earlier, and as Sirema returned to the crowd, proudly showing off her grandson, Mand looked elsewhere. A group of Edgepoints were gathered around the young king Verojec, though their discussion wasn't strictly business. It seemed that the older pilots were teasing their teenaged monarch, but Jec held his own, turning the tables to embarrass one of them. The rest laughed heartily, and Mand was glad to see Jec able to enjoy himself after a long, rough year of transition from the son of a disgraced, exiled king to becoming king himself. His father Veon had been vindicated within a few months of his exile, but instead of taking back his Crown, he resigned to a humble, quiet life and allowed Jec to lead. Paneau seemed to have recovered well from such a turbulent chain of events, and most of it was thanks to Jec's calm, levelheaded leadership. He was almost fifteen, but he acted much, much older...

Almost all of the Paneau Royal Families were represented in the Rys'tihn Retreat ballroom, even including a foreign dignitary that had married into the Ot'rio Royal Family. Salastryn's Prime Minister Caledon was politely chatting with Sol Gedall, the head of the InterRel Board, while Caledon's daughter Taeir Ot'rio looked positively bored beside him, making Mand laugh. A few of the Trislenas made their way through the crowd to talk with Caledon, as well, massing a large group around the Prime Minister. Most of the Ordeels kept to the outer edges of the room, save for the young Seyiri Ordeel, who only seemed to be interested in Jec, even though he was oblivious to it while still conversing with the Edgepoints. She was roughly his age, and Mand knew they had been close friends for years. Though she knew she had no business speculating...she couldn't help but wonder if she were looking at Paneau's future queen, and it made her smile.

A host of Royal Navy officers were dispersed about the crowd, and Mand could only recognize a few of them by their squadmates they were standing near. Commander Cal Jax, leader of Edgepoint Squadron, looked eager to talk to Koril and was only a few people behind in the line. Two Edgepoints stood beside him but were more interested in their drinks, earning the ire of another officer behind them Mand recognized as Captain Aurin Jax. The Edgepoints teased him, too, but not before a few pilots of the Valor Squadron took to his defense. They exchanged good-humored banter between the squadrons, but eventually Joshua Redgrave, leader of the New Republic's Rallye Squadron and member of the Banarecc Royal Family, stepped in and silenced them all, ordering them to the back of the line. The Edgepoints were speechless, but after a few moments, the entire group erupted in laughter, briefly getting Koril's attention from his conversation with Kander Gedall.

Though the discussions could go on all night, Mand knew that things would only properly get started with a few speeches before dinner was served. Koril's Best Man, Brent Jax, however, was nowhere to be seen. They had decided days ago that he would speak first, so where had he disappeared to?

Thankfully Mand hadn't looked for him long when she saw him worriedly tugging at his uniform out in a darkened hallway, intensely focused on an imaginary wrinkle on his chest. During the short but intimate ceremony earlier, Brent had seemed calm as he stood behind Koril, but as she approached him, he suddenly looked nervous as he turned to her and gave her a weak grimace.

"...Are you ready?" she asked carefully, to which he responded with a heavy sigh.

"No... Is _anybody_ ever ready for this speech?"

Mand laughed lightly, trying to ease his anxiety. "Come on, Brent, you'll do just fine!" She locked her arm around his and began to pull him back toward the ballroom, watching him carefully in case he got second thoughts.

"Yeah, so you say," he argued pointlessly. "I became a pilot for a reason – public speaking is not exactly a favorite pastime of mine."

"Then just pretend that he's the only one there, that you're only talking to your best friend. It won't be that bad, I promise."

Though he still didn't look convinced, he sighed again and relaxed his expression as they returned to the ballroom. Once again a ringing bell got everyone's attention, and expectedly, they all turned to her and Brent at the front of the room. She smiled broadly and waited for the chatter to quiet before she addressed them, having to raise her voice only slightly to be heard throughout the room.

"Please take your seats before we begin dinner."

The crowd complied relatively quickly, picking up more conversations as they made their way to the tables. Some of the children returned to their parents, including Brent's Pallas, whom he picked up and held at his side after releasing Mand's arm. Mand watched Rech take hold of Cordira, and she smiled warmly at him as he took his seat near the wedding party table. As soon as Koril and Elena sat, as well, Mand stepped back, giving Brent the room's full attention.

Again, Brent seemed nervous as he looked out to the crowd, but after taking a few deep breaths, he finally smiled and began his speech.

"Well, Koril, where do I begin? I suppose I could go back to the beginning... Back to our glory days at the Provincial Academy, where Professor Lems' candies weren't even safe on the tallest, deepest, most cluttered shelf in the room because at four years old, we could always engineer some way to get either of us up to them. Or maybe to the times we spent causing a lot of trouble in the Manor, enough so that I eventually was forbidden from going anywhere _near_ the kitchen when your head chef Marsaal was on duty. Either way, I can't even remember any fun I ever had as a kid without you there beside me. It seems like we have always been brothers, and I've realized recently that we are brothers in more ways than one."

He paused briefly, laughing lightly to himself after a moment. "Let me set the record straight, though: you were always following _my_ act, got it? This may be your wedding day, but I've got news for you - I get all the glory! If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have had someone to copy all these years." The guests all laughed at the irony, and once they quieted, Brent continued his humor. "I mean, come on, I enrolled in the Royal Navy first, I set flying records first, I got married first, I had a kid first..." In his hold, Pallas wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, but he was able to continue after he laughed and made her more comfortable in his arms. "You were like my little brother following me around, just wishing you were me, buddy. A close second is all you're going to get. But...I guess because of me, you made a habit of it, and that's how you've lived your whole life, putting yourself second to everyone else that matters to you."

Again pausing, he seemed reluctant to continue, but after releasing a shaky breath, he looked back up at Koril with a solemn expression. "We all know what you did to protect us almost a year ago." Though Mand wasn't sure how, the hall became even quieter as everyone reflected on the events that led to Koril's capture by the Huxnel. "You didn't have to--you _shouldn't_ have gone. I should've taken your place, but..." he continued with a small smile, "I knew you'd act like my big brother, and I knew you wouldn't let me." He looked around at the crowd briefly, as if to acknowledge them. "I don't think there's anyone here who hasn't benefited from your selflessness, either a year ago, or in the years before. And that, my friend, is an even tougher act to follow. I think I speak for everyone present here tonight and for the planet of Paneau as a whole when I say...thank you, brother, for taking second place. From your brother pilot, friend, and admirer, I wish you and Elena an eternity of happiness and love. You deserve it. Cheers."

As he grabbed a glass of wine at the table beside him and raised it in toast, the hall burst into boisterous applause, finally making Brent turn red in his face. Koril quickly stood and met Brent on the other side of the table, embracing him warmly as other guests stood from their seats, as well, continuing to cheer for both men. Stealing a glance at Elena, Mand saw her vainly drying an eye, making her smile. Mand had heard Brent's speech before, and she knew it was going to provoke strong emotions, even from Elena who hardly let anything affect her. But Mand hadn't yet given her speech, and as the crowd quieted once again after both Koril and Brent returned to their seats, Mand stepped forward, taking her turn in the center of the room.

"Thanks so much, Brent," Mand began with a lighthearted laugh, "you've left me with nothing to say."

She looked over at him to see him shrug apologetically as others laughed, but taking in a slow breath, she readied herself to speak while attention again focused on her.

"I'm afraid I can't say that I've known Elena as long as Brent and Koril have been friends, but it certainly seems like it's been that long. We met here on Paneau, strangely enough, under some...interesting circumstances a few years ago, but I can honestly claim that if it hadn't been for Elena's friendship...I would not be here today. And unfortunately, I've been stuck with her ever since."

Again the group laughed, and Mand exchanged an understanding smile with Elena, recalling their conversation where she had made the comment of being stuck with her "for life," much to Elena's amusement.

"Since my transformation, I've learned so much from her, things I hadn't learned in my previous life. I found out what it meant to be honest, to be loyal, to earn respect, and even to receive gifts that weren't earned. I didn't deserve her help when she first saved my life, but that didn't stop her. Time and time again, she, too, showed me selflessness that I had never seen before, and I have only barely begun to repay her kindness.

"But looking back," she continued with an amused grin, "I can't believe what I was thinking when I introduced Elena to a young, polite, _handsome_ Royal Navy pilot at the Celebration Ball more than two years ago. Maybe I should've done some more research, because obviously I didn't know what I was getting my best friend into." Mand glanced at both Koril and Elena, glad to see their broad smiles as they, too, remembered the night they first met. "If I had known that I was introducing her to basically a male clone of herself, I might have reconsidered. Because I don't know about you all, but I'm worried about who will win a fight over who gets to take second place." She brought her hand to the side of her mouth, feigning a whisper. "Koril, if you know what's good for you, you'll let Elena decide nine times out of ten."

Joining the others, both Koril and Elena laughed as he nodded, accepting Mand's advice. Elena rolled her eyes, though, but as Mand continued with a sincere smile on her face, she sat back and listened.

"I joke about it, but I shouldn't. I will always remember that night, because--well, my husband Rech proposed to me..._finally_," she added with a grin, "but because that night, I saw in Elena's eyes after she finished that one simple dance with Koril something that was unmistakable. It took her a while to realize it herself, but I already knew it: they were made for each other, and nothing, not even the Huxnel was going to get in their way."

Smiling broadly, Mand looked about the room and signaled a servant waiting in the back of the hall who then disappeared. Before anyone caught on, though, she continued. "That night was magical and romantic, wasn't it? Many of you were there -- except for you pilots, sorry." Sitting close to her were several Edgepoints who shrugged at her and happily downed another glass of wine together. Commander Jax threw a wadded up napkin at the back of one pilot's head, getting the rest to behave, though they continued to laugh. Mand laughed, too, but quickly returned to her train of thought. "Since it was such a special night, I though that surely it couldn't be topped... Or could it?

"With us tonight as a special treat are the musicians who played at that ball. It took me forever to track them down, but they're here to play for us for the rest of the night, and there's one song I've requested they play first before we begin dinner." As the seven musicians piled into a few chairs set up beside the designated dance floor, Mand looked at Koril and Elena's surprised expressions, stepping closer to them to continue. "I wanted your first dance as husband and wife to be memorable, and I think you'll remember this tune."

Once ready, the musicians began playing the same sweet, melodic song that the two had danced to the night they first met. Elena's eyes lit up as she smiled blissfully, delighting in the memory. Though he, too, was both surprised and elated, Koril stood and took Elena's hand, leading her out onto the dance floor to a supportive applause. As the entire hall dimmed and silenced as everyone watched them, Koril smiled serenely and swept her up into a gentle slow dance, holding her tightly with one arm wrapped around her back and the other holding her hand against his chest. Expectedly, she buried her face in his shoulder despite his soft encouragement, and as they danced, Mand sank into a nearby chair, sighing contentedly.

It wasn't long before Rech stepped up behind her, still holding Cordira who playfully kicked at his lightsaber hanging from his belt. Mand stood from her seat and took Cordira from him, kissing the girl on her cheek to a happy squeal. With glowing eyes, Rech, too, wrapped his arm around Mand tightly and smiled at her, meeting her halfway with a passionate kiss. The night was far from over, only just beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

Koril wasn't sure how he had survived such a long night and was still conscious, but he was glad to finally be returning home. After making sure that all guests had been transported home and that the Retreat staff had cleaning duties well assigned, he rode beside Elena in a small but comfortable landspeeder through the quiet landscape that surrounded his family's mountain haven. At the controls sat Lieutenant Dak Hetcher, one of the two pilots Koril recently began keeping on staff at the Manor. Paneau's High Commander was more than capable of maintaining his own craft and piloting them himself on his travels, but increasing pressure to conform to his title finally convinced him to fold and was accompanied by a serious blow to his own sense of self-reliance. The lieutenant was nice enough, and thankfully he remained quiet for the duration of their trip back to Dalon.

Elena had been quiet, too, but even as she snuggled against him in the back of the speeder, she wore a serene smile that hadn't changed since they had left the Retreat. And content to simply sit with her in silence after the busy but enjoyable party, he allowed it to continue, even after they arrived at the Manor's hangar. He thanked the lieutenant and climbed out, but before Elena could get far, he stepped up behind her and swept her up into his arms, cradling her entire body against himself. He smiled with as much charm as he could muster at such a late hour of the night, but Elena's protests weren't inhibited in the slightest.

"Koril, put me down! You're tired, and I don't want you to hurt yourself!"

But as he continued through the hangar, he laughed as she tightened her hold around his neck, apparently trying to lessen her strain on him. "Koril Rys'tihn, I mean it! You're in no shape to do this!"

Pausing only briefly to shift her in his arms, he looked at her with pleading eyes. "At least let me carry you into the Manor?"

She hadn't even stopped to breathe. "No, this is absurd! Do not--"

"Elena, it's tradition, and it's not that far."

"I don't care. If you take one more step..."

Though he continued to hold her, he stopped and looked her square in the face, keeping his expression playful against her irritated and worried gaze. She seemed to relax a little, but concern took over as she spoke quietly. "Now, please...put me down."

But instead, he watched her eyes as he grinned broadly and answered with the same volume. "No." Before she could even respond, he took another step closer, and as her eyes widened in anger, she was again kept from responding, but this time by the mechanical grinding of heavy blast doors opening in front of her. She finally sighed resignedly, having lost the battle, and as he moved further into the Manor and lowered her down to her feet again, she shook her head as she looked up at him with a strange mix of exasperation and...amusement?

"You're impossible," she said softly. "You didn't need to do that."

He smiled tiredly. "No, but I wanted to. There's a difference."

She reached a hand up to gently caress his cheek, but without fail, her fingers traced the side of his face to his neck to check his heart rate. Though he began to turn away, her firm grip on his shoulder with her free hand stopped him. "Hold still."

"Is everything alright, High Commander, m'lady?"

One of the night guards had approached them from the main hall, watching them intently. Koril nodded, forcing Elena to press harder into his neck. "Yes, I'm okay, Ensign."

"No, you're not," Elena countered anxiously. "Koril, you're exhausted, and your heart's slowed. Carrying me in here should have accelerated it."

The ensign quickly turned his focus to Elena. "Shall I get a medic, m'lady?"

Koril arched an eyebrow, finding the sudden attention a little unnecessary. "I'm still standing."

"Not for long. You need to rest, _now._"

Eager to help, the ensign stepped up beside Koril, offering his arm for support. "I'll accompany you upstairs, Sir."

"That's really not necessary--"

"Please do," Elena asked of the ensign, and getting an insistent look from her, Koril sighed and gave in, allowing himself to be escorted to his own bedroom. He was only beginning to feel tired, but anyone would have after a wedding. He didn't need the assistance, but if it would win him back Elena's favor for the night, he'd endure it.

Finally reaching their room on the fourth floor, the ensign saw them inside and left with a salute, and Elena was quick to lead Koril in further to their bed. He simply sat on the side, though, watching her as she worriedly looked him over.

"How are you feeling?"

Hardly able to refrain from rolling his eyes, he laughed lightly. "I'm fine. I'm not even lightheaded, I'm just tired."

"Then lay down and rest," she said with a wan smile as she brushed her fingers through his hair. "We've had a long day."

He smiled, too, meeting her lustrous gaze. "I don't want it to end."

But her expression faded, her tone becoming somber. "Koril...you need to be serious about this. Your heart was significantly damaged. I don't want to take any chances."

He held his ground, though, reaching out to take her hand and tug her down to sit at his side. "I haven't had any problems since you brought me home. I'm getting stronger, and it won't be long before I'm back to shape, okay?"

Though she still looked intensely worried, she at least sighed and nodded, leaning against him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He smiled and gently turned her chin up with his other hand and caught her gaze again. "Come on, relax...it was an amazing day."

Eventually her worry melted as she smiled, too, and nodded. "It was."

"Was it what you wanted?"

Surprising him, she gave a short laugh. "That it finally happened was good enough for me..."

"Hey," he feigned offense, "as I recall, it was you who agreed to wait. I would've married you aboard the _Celestia_ if you had asked."

She laughed again. "I know. But," she paused as she looked deeply into his onyx eyes, "it was well worth the wait." A genuine smile spread across her face, and her voice softened to barely a whisper. "The Retreat was gorgeous... And good friends, family...food," she added with a laugh, "but the music... That was what really won me over." Still holding her tightly, he could feel her earlier tension dissipating from her shoulders as she closed her eyes, thinking back. "I can still hear it, and it still gives me chills."

Inclining his head, he leaned into her and kissed her at her temple, feeling her cooled skin under his lips. "I can tell."

As she turned her brilliant smile up to him once more, they again gazed at each other for one long, silent moment before she reached her hand up to his face, cupping his jaw.

"You're tired," she informed him needlessly, so he grinned and rolled his eyes appropriately.

"So I've been told."

In return, she gave him a light look of warning before she continued. "Will you be alright if I go change? It won't take me very long."

He pretended to think about it to humor her, then nodded with another grin. "I think I'll be okay."

Still, she watched him briefly before she stood and walked over to the closet, dimming the lights for him as she went. He smiled at her gesture, but he still had to get his uniform off, too, and it certainly had more buttons and hooks than her dress. Deciding he'd at least start while she, too, was undressing, he first unbuckled his boots and kicked them off, freeing his feet to be soothed by the room's cool stone floor. He stood and continued with the snaps at his shoulder as he slowly walked to the other side of the room, leaning an ear against the door that led to Derek's room just adjacent to theirs. Kollie and Raen had brought the boy back to the Manor long before Koril and Elena had returned, and thankfully, it sounded as though he was still sleeping peacefully. He, too, had endured a busy night, being passed around between almost all the guests, Koril estimated, though Elena's mother Sirema spent more time holding him than she had spent with her daughter. The Lyrans were an odd couple, but they were so exceedingly proud of their grandson, and they were Derek's only grandparents, so Koril was glad they took such an interest in him. He hoped they would visit often, and with any luck, they would help to fill the void he feared Derek would face as the son of Paneau's High Commander.

Sighing to rid his mind of his suddenly saddened thoughts, he stepped back from the door and tugged at his uniform for a few more snaps. He had begun to work on the ones that continued down his side, but a quiet beep from the comm station at his desk caught his attention. A holo transmission was incoming from Salastryn's Chief Vizier, immediately capturing his attention. He hurriedly snapped his uniform back together over his shoulder and sat at the desk, hoping to keep the conversation quiet enough to avoid Elena's interest. As the small blue bust materialized on his desk, he nodded cordially.

"Chief Vizier Brandalton, what can I do for you?"

The image flickered briefly, but the older man nodded, as well. "High Commander Rys'tihn, I apologize for contacting you at your home, but I needed to speak with you immediately. Demmar's First Regent is requesting an emergency Security Summit to begin tomorrow."

Koril furrowed his brows. "Emergency? What's happened?"

Brandalton sighed visibly, expressing his reservations on the severity of the situation. "I'm sure you've been informed of the thefts that have been occurring on Demmar's end of the sector?"

"I've read the reports, yes, but it was my understanding that the pieces of equipment that had been stolen were of little consequence. Demmar has more than enough resources to replace them. And if they don't, I assume they would've asked for help already."

"This is their request for help, High Commander. After four months, they've _finally_ decided to do something about it. They're saying that they suspect the work of rogue pirates, and that they want Salastryn and Paneau's input."

Koril frowned. "You don't sound convinced."

The Chief Vizier's expression intensified, as well, his voice suddenly becoming dark. "I have my reasons."

Skeptical, also, Koril nodded solemnly. "So do I, Chief Vizier." After releasing a tired sigh, Koril continued. "Where are we to meet?"

"On Salastryn, thankfully. First Regent Onndo _graciously_ agreed to middle ground. The City of Amavelle will be well-primed for your arrival in the morning, and my Liberas will meet you halfway and escort you to the surface."

"I appreciate that. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Brandalton shook his head. "Not at this time. Get some rest, High Commander. I have a feeling we're all going to need it."

Koril nodded as the holo disappeared, allowing his head to fall forward once the room was dark again. Onndo was the last person Koril wanted to deal with after a night without a decent amount of sleep, and he knew full well he wasn't going to sleep much at all with the summit lingering in his mind. He let go of a long, irritated breath, returning to his task of undoing his uniform jacket to hopefully clear his mind.

Unfortunately, he ended up completely changed into a set of light pants without being conscious of much of his movement, and even as he climbed into bed, he could feel his tension already weighing him down. As tired as he was, his thoughts would either put him into a light, restless sleep, or he would get no sleep at all. Maybe Elena could calm his nerves, and comforting himself with the idea, he at least tried to settle his stress before she returned.

"Koril?"

He must have briefly drifted to sleep, he surmised, as he opened his eyes to find Elena lying in bed beside him, her face merely inches from his. He tried to muster a smile, but he was sure even his best couldn't have convinced her.

"You're tense," she whispered, "is something wrong?"

"I have to go to Salastryn tomorrow morning for a Security Summit."

Elena blinked. "A summit? You never told me about it."

"It was just called for a few minutes ago." He again attempted a smile. "But don't worry, it shouldn't be too...exciting."

"You're not going to be well-rested. I should go with you."

"Really, Elena, you're not going to miss much."

Her expression turned suspicious. "You don't want me to go."

Koril sighed, afraid he was about to dig himself into a hole... "I want someone I can trust to be here with Jec while I'm gone."

"So I'm supposed to babysit the king?"

It was quickly becoming difficult for him to keep his tone calm. "You have been his advisor for the past six months in my absence. What makes this any different? This is my _job, _Elena. I've been cleared to return to it."

"Yeah, it's your job, and it's your life. To you, the two are not mutually exclusive. Why am I not allowed to be a part of it?"

Finally getting to the root of her issue with him, he sighed, softening his expression as well as his voice. "Because it is a burden that I do _not_ want you to have to bear..."

Though she looked as though she could have continued just as fervently, she stopped and looked away from him, thinking. After a moment she laughed lightly and returned to him with a tired smile that confused him.

"What is it?"

Her smile broadened slightly. "I still have ammo to burn. Is this your one shot in ten you want to take?"

Amused by the reference to Mand's speech at the reception earlier, he gave a short laugh, too, and nodded. "Please."

"You won't be alone?"

"I'll have no less than three Paneau with me at all times, promise."

Nodding to accept his terms, Elena smiled as she moved closer to him, careful to keep her cool hands from his bare chest. But deciding he didn't care, he reached his arm around her waist and pulled her even closer, kissing her softly for the first time since they had gotten home. Her chilled touch was quick to soothe his tension, effortlessly sending him into a deep, calming sleep.

* * *

The morning found Koril extremely well-rested, and despite the impending summit, he felt somewhat better about it. Helping to load the _Celestia_ for the possible extended stay kept his mind occupied, but with his aid, it wasn't long before everything had been brought aboard and stowed ahead of schedule. Lt. Hetcher looked relieved.

"I think that's the last of it, Sir," the young pilot reported after glancing about the hangar. "Tol and I did a total performance check before you came down, and she's fully fueled."

After brushing a bit of dust off his pants from the shuffling, Koril nodded. "Thank you, Lieutenant. Let me know when Admiral Sokol and the Royal Guards arrive. I have one more thing to check on before we leave."

Lt. Hetcher saluted and climbed back into the _Celestia_'s cabin, preparing the rest of the yacht's systems for departure. Koril left the ship, though, turning to meet the very thing he sought - his protocol droid, Kaydee.

"Master Koril, good morning!" she greeted him brightly. "I once again must comment on your wedding ceremony yesterday. It was absolutely exquisite, Sir, a fine representation of the Rys'tihn Family traditions. Master Merli'il would have been quite proud were he still with us, I can assure you."

Though he, too, had wished his father could have been present, he smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Kaydee. I'm glad you approve."

"Most certainly, Master Koril. Are you well today? I was instructed to contact you and inquire as to your condition throughout the day with the intent of relaying that information to Mistress Elena. She is still quite concerned about your health, and frankly, Master, I am, as well."

Koril could hardly restrain a laugh. "I'm fine, Kaydee." After considering a thought, he looked at the droid curiously. "You know what, why don't you come with us?"

Briefly speechless, Kaydee uncharacteristically fumbled for a response. "C-come with you?"

"Yes, why not? Who knows, we may need you in a diplomatic capacity. Are you up to it?"

Having regained her composure, Kaydee nodded. "Of course. I am always at your service, Master Koril. Whatever it is you need of me, I will supply it."

"Good," Koril smiled as he gestured up into the ship, "then your usual spot is yours."

But the droid remained, hesitating with a question. "Ah, Master Koril? May I make a quick request before we leave?"

"Sure, Kaydee, what is it?"

"Well, Sir...I hate to impose, but I have noticed over the past few months that while you have employed two excellent pilots to service your personal fleet, it seems to me that perhaps the addition of an astromech would be beneficial? One would certainly not replace your pilots, Master, but greatly aid them in their duties! As you know, there are several that have recently been decommissioned from their service in the Royal Navy, so the acquisition of a trustworthy one would be most convenient."

Caught off guard by the droid's proposal, Koril thought about it for a moment, and though he came to agree with her, something else came to his mind. "...you miss Eewon, don't you?"

Kaydee was quick to break. "Oh, _terribly_, Sir! He was most entertaining to converse with, and while I do thoroughly enjoy your company, Master, it was so very nice to have a droid companion with which to share stories and compare programming..."

Koril smiled. "Okay, Kaydee, you've convinced me. It'll have to wait until we get back, though. We're leaving very soon."

Again the droid stood silent for a brief moment. "I do hope you will forgive me, Master Koril...but I took the liberty of purchasing one for you already." As Koril turned to look, a well-worn, purple-paneled R2 astromech rolled up behind Kaydee, whistling cheerfully. It looked almost exactly like the Redgraves' droid Eewon who had been with Elena, Rech, and Mand while they traveled the galaxy searching for Koril after his abduction. And if Kaydee had become so attached to the droid, Koril could see why she had so eagerly "acquired" the one behind her.

"He was once designated V2-84 and apparently earned the nickname "Tops" while in lengthy service with the Valor Squadron, Master. His memory has been cleaned of any sensitive Royal Navy information, of course, but he was able to retain most of his off-duty memory and personality."

The droid beeped and whirred excitedly again, and Kaydee translated. "He says he wishes to remain V2-84, or Tops, if you don't mind, Sir. He is quite an eccentric but enthusiastic little droid."

Rubbing his forehead briefly, Koril laughed and dropped his hand, giving in. "Tops. Okay, he stays. But this is it, Kaydee," he warned lightly. "No more...purchases like this without asking me first."

"Oh, thank you, Master Koril! Of course, I shall refrain from future indulgences. I do hope he will be an excellent addition to the staff here. He certainly exhibits brilliant potential if his service records are any indication. You shall not be disappointed, Master."

Koril nodded with a grin, sighing lightly. "Just load up, Kaydee."

"Yes, of course, Master Koril," Kaydee continued as she ascended the _Celestia_'s ramp. "Good heavens, a diplomatic mission... I am that much closer to realizing my programming capabilities, how exciting..."

As Kaydee's voice echoed up into the ship and eventually dissipated, Koril watched Tops excitedly roll off toward the other ships in the hangar, seemingly eager to begin work. Though he had reservations about the droid before he had seen diagnostics run on it, he'd leave the task to his other pilot, Lt. Tol, who was staying behind. Just as Koril turned once again in search of another, someone else met him beside the ship, surprising him.

"Mand!" he greeted her with a friendly smile as she walked up to him. "Good morning! You're up early. By my calculations, you earned yourself at least another four hours of sleep. Is there something you need?"

But her expression was less positive than his. She shook her head softly, tugging a bag strap over her shoulder. "No, I don't need anything. I'm all packed."

Koril blinked. "Packed?"

Again she nodded. "I'm coming with you."

Assuming Elena's hand in Mand's determination, Koril smiled once more. "It's alright, I'll just be a short hop away on Salastryn. I think I'll be okay without your protection."

"You don't need my protection," Mand answered blankly. "You need my expertise."

Still confused about how she knew, Koril stammered. "I don't understand."

She briefly looked down, as though hesitant to answer. "I've been hearing about those thefts on the other side of the sector, too. You need me at that summit with you because I know who's behind them." Pausing again, she sighed, bringing her gaze back up. "I was involved with it eight years ago under the Huxnel, and I think I know what they're planning to do."

Stunned, Koril could hardly breathe. He hadn't dared to pair the Chief Vizier's description of "rogue pirates" with the Huxnel out of fear that the connection could be true, complicating his return to his office. Mand was the closest expert he had, and he couldn't afford to not listen to what she had to say. But what would Elena think?

Before Koril even formulated a response, Admiral Sokol arrived with his Royal Guards and a deputy security chief, and with a short nod, the Admiral boarded the _Celestia_, unwilling to interrupt Koril and Mand. Mand glanced back at the others briefly, and as she returned, her expression was slightly more relaxed, despite the weighty topic. "I can explain once we get there."

Seeing no choice, Koril eventually nodded and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in anxiety. "Elena's going to have my head..."

As Mand boarded the ship beside him, she looked at him with a mildly amused grin. "It's not your head that you should be worried about."


	4. Chapter 4

As Mand stepped further into the _Celestia_'s main hold, Koril brought up the ramp behind them and offered to take her bag, but she declined politely. It had been some time since she had last been around Paneau's ruling elite in such an official capacity, and even though Koril had become a good, close friend, she didn't want to show poor manners as the other officers and guards looked on. Koril nodded after a few moments, then turned to the others to address them as the ship's engines powered up to leave.

"I'm sure you all remember my friend and fellow hero of the Invasion, Mand Natiyr." The officers nodded cordially to her before Koril continued, gesturing toward the two oldest. "Mand, this is Admiral Mik Sokol, my second in command and overseer of Paneau's Royal Navy. And beside him, the deputy security chief of Dalon, Feylora Noxymer."

Mand smiled as she nodded to them both, but before she could greet them, Koril was quick to excuse himself as he gripped her arm and led her down the corridor to a small meeting room. As the door closed behind her, Koril sat her on a nearby bench with a solemn expression.

"I need to know now," he spoke quietly but intensely. "Tell me how you know the Huxnel are involved."

Slightly agitated at being shuffled away so quickly, she narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms after she set her bag on the floor. "No. I told you I'd explain when we got to the summit."

Koril still stood in front of her, pointing forward to the main hold where the others sat. "Those two officers do _not_ know that you were once an agent for the Huxnel. We already suspect Demmar of questionable intentions and conflicted interests in this situation, and I do _not_ want to give their officials or even Salastryn's reason to cast doubt on you, as well. They _cannot_ know of your ties to the Huxnel, so tell me now, how do you know it's them?"

Incensed at the allusion, Mand stood. "It's not like I'm still in contact with any of them!"

"I don't think you are!" Koril returned just as fervently. "But my word that you're not might not even carry enough weight with the Salastryni, and I know for a fact that the Demmar would somehow find a way to turn everything around onto you. I will not allow that to happen, so you need to tell me what you know so that I can share the same information without also putting us on a vibroblade's edge."

Feeling her anger abating as reason took over instead, Mand sighed and sat again, bringing one hand to her forehead and the other arm around her stomach. "I'm sorry," she apologized quietly, "I'm not feeling well this morning."

She felt Koril sit beside her after a long moment, placing a warm hand on her shoulder that matched his warm tone. "Too much fun last night?"

Smiling in spite of herself, Mand nodded. "Yeah, something like that." Taking a few more minutes to recover from her sudden nausea, she returned her hands to her lap and turned to Koril. "I don't know for sure that it's them, but those jobs definitely have all their call signs: two operatives, small heists, little attention drawn to the event..."

Koril didn't look convinced. "Well, that could describe any number of thefts on Paneau, even just in Dalon alone. What makes you think these others are different?"

Though she hadn't wanted to elaborate on her involvement, she knew she needed to in order to give Koril all the information she could. She hesitated, though, desperate to word it just right... "When I was twelve, I was part of a team that sought a very special painting. Embedded within it was rumored to be the schematic for some kind of weapon that was used very briefly and was eventually lost in the Clone Wars. I never heard exactly what the weapon was supposed to do, but judging from the way some of the other operatives talked about it, it sounded like it was large enough to be mounted on the outside of a large ship and used against other capital ships. And the things that have been stolen could add up to some kind of weapon if assembled properly: dozens of plasma manifolds, deflector arrays, large power generators... It all makes sense."

With his brows furrowed together, Koril thought over Mand's evidence for a moment before looking back up at her. "Is there any way we can know for certain?"

"Aside from capturing one of the operatives and interrogating it out of them...not really, no."

"Then I don't want to say anything just yet," Koril continued quietly. "I want to hear what Demmar has to say for themselves, and we'll go from there."

Mand looked over Koril's expression, only having to lightly read into his words. "You don't trust them at all."

Immediately, he shook his head. "No. Paneau and Salastryn have been very good friends and tight allies for centuries, and Demmar had been for a while, too. But recently, their government has completely deteriorated, and corruption runs rampant."

"Why are you even bothering with this summit, then?"

Koril sighed. "It's a difficult situation. While we have a lot of theories, unfortunately we can't prove anything just yet. We do a good deal of business with Demmar, and if we were to withdraw our support and place an embargo on their goods, I'm afraid their citizens would be the ones to suffer the most, not the officials at fault."

Releasing a long breath, Mand nodded. "So, what are your theories about these thefts?"

"Sadly, yours is the one that makes the most sense right now. But as much as I don't want to have to deal with the Huxnel again...I..."

"...don't want to walk into a trap, either," Mand finished for him somberly, and after a moment, Koril nodded. "You brought some fairly high-powered officials, Koril," she warned, "including you."

"I know. But hey," he continued with a light grin, "at least we've got you to protect us."

Mand laughed shortly, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, you've got me, the Saber-less Wonder..."

But Koril's expression fell instead, becoming solemn. "You're just as powerful without your lightsaber, Mand, I have no doubt."

Appreciating the confidence, she gave him a wan smile as she looked back up at him, her voice light. "I hope I don't have to be."

He nodded in agreement and stood, turning to offer his hand to her. Standing with his gentle help, she nodded, too, and as they returned to the main hold, she took her seat beside one of the Royal Guards and strapped in as the _Celestia_ roared and left the Rys'tihn Manor's hangar, heading for space.

* * *

Though he hadn't been jolted awake by a nightmare, Rech Natiyr sat straight up in bed in alarm and grabbed his saber from the table at his side. A strange sense of warning had roused his mind from sleep, but as he began to extend his feelings into his immediate surroundings...nothing came of it. He couldn't feel any predator or danger nearby, and as near as he could tell, the entire Rys'tihn Manor was calm, if anyone else was even up besides him. Cordira still slept peacefully in the cradle beside him, but he knew that wouldn't last long. Keenly in tune with both Rech and Mand, Cordira woke when they did, and as Rech stood to check on her, the toddler yawned and smiled up at him. He reached down and stroked her fine fire-red hair, managing a small smile in return, but returning to what had woken him up in the first place, he continued his search.

"Mand, do you..."

Trailing off, Rech turned back to the bed to find it empty and partially made on her side. She was already up and gone, but he hadn't even noticed. Usually, he was a light sleeper, but it seemed that the party the night before and the preparation that had been weeks in the making had finally piled up on him. He briefly wondered how Mand had gotten past their morning sentry, but Cordira had probably been fairly tired, as well. Still not sensing any immediate danger, or any kind of warning at all for that matter, he sighed and quickly dressed, putting his gear together. As far as he knew, he, Mand, and Cordira were the only guests still in the Manor, but he always wore his standard Jedi tunic. He had earned the right once more, and he wasn't going to let it pass again.

After sending for and receiving nannies to watch over Cordira briefly, he left the bedroom for the third floor hall and expanded his search to cover the entire Manor grounds. A few guards paced the gardens outside, a few more were stationed at the main and rear entrances, and nothing seemed out of place. The Rys'tihn Manor had been home to him and his family for the past few months, and he knew it well enough. If nothing was wrong, then what had woken him up? Was another vision beginning to trouble him? He hadn't dreamed about anything that he could remember, but the one vision he had seen more than a year ago left him with a similar haunted feeling, and for good reason. He at least had seen his six Dark Jedi adversaries a few weeks prior to the confrontation on Coruscant, but he still had been ill-prepared for their assault. If he was feeling a warning for some future peril now, why hadn't it been accompanied by a vision?

With the alarm far removed from his senses, he relinquished his search, though he maintained a high level of awareness. He eventually found himself on the main floor near the banquet hall, where a light breakfast was being served. He saw a few of the Manor's staff seated at the tables, some enjoying fruit, and others eating slightly larger meals. Again, nothing seemed out of order, and content for the time being, he began to return to his room, only to meet Elena with Derek in her arms as she stepped out of a turbolift. She smiled broadly at him, and Rech had to smile, too, if only for her son.

"Good morning," she greeted him cheerfully. "Rest well?"

Though he wished he had gotten more sleep, he nodded appreciatively with a grin. "What about you, Mrs. Rys'tihn?"

"I meditated more than I slept," she said in a more serious tone as she shrugged. "I had to make sure Koril was going to be alright. He still worries me, especially with all we did yesterday."

Concerned, Rech stepped closer to her, keeping his voice low. "Do you need me to tend to him?"

But surprising him, she smiled thinly. "You can't. He left for Salastryn for a meeting a few hours ago. Back to work as usual now, I'm afraid."

"You don't think he's ready for it?"

Shifting Derek to her other hip, she shook her head. "But, what do I know. I'm no doctor."

"But you're with him more often than his doctor is now, and you probably had legitimate concerns. Why didn't you let me talk him out of it?"

Sighing, she shook her head again. "It was too late last night. And even though he tried to play it down, this meeting sounds pretty serious. I don't think anybody would've been able to keep him from it."

With his seemingly random alarm again fresh in his memory, he lowered his voice once more. "How serious?"

"It's a security summit between the security officials of the three planets in this system, but of course, Koril wouldn't tell me any details, and he wouldn't let me go with him, either."

Nodding, Rech looked to the side, considering the possibility that what he had felt was a warning related to whatever issue Koril was having to deal with. If such an important meeting had been called so quickly, perhaps there was an imminent threat.

Having been close friends for years, Elena easily picked up on his concern. "What's bothering you?"

He looked back up at her, maintaining a calm expression. "Have you seen Mand this morning?"

Elena frowned. "She's taken off again and didn't tell you?"

Though he hadn't exhausted all possible scenarios, it was the most likely one since he could no longer feel her presence on Paneau. He nodded, and Elena continued. "Koril didn't tell me, either, but I bet she went with him. Come on," she said with a sigh, "we'll go catch up with Kaydee again."

As Elena turned with Derek, the young boy tightly grabbed a fistful of her tunic, though he was in no danger of falling. Instead, he flexed his fingers repeatedly and babbled as they walked toward the comm room, making Rech smile bittersweetly. He had only spent a brief amount of time with Cordira when she was Derek's age before being torn away from her for various reasons, and he still felt guilty for having missed more than six months of her life. Ironically, he had been with Derek more than with his adopted daughter, from the day he delivered the new Rys'tihn through their shared life in the Rys'tihn Manor. Cordira and Derek were cared for by the same nannies, making it easy for him to see them both, but as Elena handed Derek to him as they entered the room, Rech took him comfortably as he would his own child, as though Derek _was_ his own child...

"Kaydee," Elena began sternly as the droid's holoimage appeared on the console, "you weren't honest with me earlier."

Kaydee cocked her head slightly. "Mistress Elena, I'm afraid I do not follow."

"Why did you neglect to mention that Mand was aboard with you?"

Before the droid could respond, Mand's light blue image stepped in front of Kaydee, looking up at Elena with a worn expression. "To be fair, you never asked."

"Granted, but I shouldn't have had to. What are you doing with Koril, Mand?"

Seemingly exhausted already, Mand answered with little expression in her tone. "Lending my knowledge. I might have some...important information for the summit."

Though relieved to see her, Rech moved closer and looked over her with concern, also getting himself into the camera's range. "Mand, you don't look well..."

She nodded, bringing a hand up to rub her forehead briefly. "I'm having a rough morning."

Ignoring Elena's confused look she gave him, Rech softened his expression, but Mand spoke again before he could. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before I left. I didn't want to wake you, and I didn't want to worry you."

"Well, I'm more than worried now. You didn't take any tea with you?"

"No, but honestly," she paused, folding her arms over her stomach, "I'm not sure that it would've helped much. I don't remember being this sick before."

Her severe morning sickness must have been what had caught his attention through their connection in the Force. Desperate to not feel helpless, he pleaded quietly. "Let me bring something to you. I might even be able to help ease the nausea..."

But Mand shook her head. "Not enough time. The meeting's starting in a few minutes, and I'm not even allowed to tell you where we are." She smiled tiredly at him, though, in an attempt to ease his concerns, he surmised. "I'll be okay. I'll contact you when we're done."

Before he or Elena could counter, the holo disappeared, leaving Elena to accost him with questions.

"She's sick? She looked fine last night. Did she eat something bad at the reception?"

Rech shook his head, but confident she'd figure it out, he said nothing in response, only arching his eyebrows to keep her guessing...

After a few more moments, Elena's eyes lit up as she gasped, and though he still held Derek at his side, Elena wrapped her arms tightly around Rech's neck in excitement. "You're having another baby!!"

Rech couldn't help but laugh as he hugged her back with his free arm, glad to finally get the word out. He smiled broadly at her as she stepped back, meeting her delighted expression with one to match. "She wanted to wait until after your wedding and tell you this morning, but I guess this meeting got in the way."

Still elated, Elena hugged him again. "You didn't have to wait! I'm so happy for you! Does Koril know?"

He shrugged. "Only if she's told him. If she's as sick as she looks, though, he might be able to piece it together."

"Koril?" Elena laughed. "No, she'd have to tell him. He may be the highest ranked, most well-trained security officer on Paneau, but he wouldn't recognize that." Her grin faded, though, as she thought for a moment. "Do you think she'll be alright?"

Again, he shrugged. "Looks like I don't have any say in the matter. She should be, but...I wish I could heal her myself."

With a kind smile, Elena nodded in understanding, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I think I might have a way to find them both."

* * *

Though she thought she had gotten everything out of her system from earlier in the morning, Mand still felt terrible as she sat in the large conference room where the Security Summit was to begin...once the Demmar officers arrived. Both Paneau and Salastryni officials had taken their seats hours ago, but Demmar had yet to even send a message ahead of their tardiness. Koril had assured her that it was almost their custom to be late, but already irritated at not feeling well, Mand wasn't willing to wait much longer.

"Would you like some more water, ma'am?"

A servant that seemed to have been specifically assigned to her stepped up to the table with another pitcher of water, and after nodding to him weakly, he filled her glass for the dozenth time. Water was at least helping to keep her nausea at bay for the time being, and without anyone to talk to during the wait, sipping at it every few minutes kept her busy enough to maintain an alert mind. After quickly introducing Mand to the Salastryn officials, Koril and Admiral Sokol quietly took up a small conference of their own with Salastryn's Chief Vizier, leaving her and a few other lower ranking officers seated at the table in an awkward silence.

Beside her, though, Kaydee kept a constant vigil, and thankfully, the droid didn't say much. She seemed to understand the severity of the situation, and she recognized her minimal part in it, waiting patiently until she was needed. Even though Mand didn't feel well, she did appreciate the droid's concern for her. It had been several minutes since the last time Kaydee had said anything, so Mand knew the droid had to be getting anxious. Giving her an outlet, Mand turned back toward her slightly and spoke quietly.

"I'm alright, Kaydee."

"Are you _sure_, Mistress Mand? Isn't there anything I can get for you?"

Mand shook her head. "Koril needs you here, Kay--"

"But surely he will not need me in the immediate future. I should find something for you to eat. From the looks of things, you might need your strength to endure this meeting, if the other delegates ever arrive."

"I'm not hungry."

As usual, Kaydee was persistent. "Mistress Mand, pardon me for saying so, but you do need to keep your health up. It is my understanding that you are the only guest suffering from a sickness following Master Koril's wedding reception last night, and judging by Master Rech's reaction to your discussion earlier, I do believe I know what is ailing you so."

Mand sighed, bringing a hand to her face. "Is it that obvious?"

"Oh, it is nothing about which to be ashamed, Mistress Mand. I am sure that Master Koril would be more than willing to--"

But before Kaydee could finish, a wave of guards in unfamiliar uniforms entered the room, followed closely by three officials Mand presumed to be Demmar in outlandish attire. Compared to the Paneau and Salastryni present, the Demmar looked exceptionally garish, having adorned themselves with jewels and expensive, fine fabrics as if they owned the planet themselves. Without even knowing any of the planet's history or the current state of affairs aside from what Koril had told her earlier, Mand was reasonably sure that something very wrong was happening on Demmar, and the smug, superior looks on the officials' faces only secured her theory. As the others took their seats and Koril returned to his beside her, she exchanged an apprehensive glance with him. The Demmar sat opposite her and Koril, but one official gazed only at her with a haughty grin. Though it unnerved her, she shoved away her nausea and focused herself, putting her senses on edge and keeping her expression neutral as she listened intently to the tense introductions and preliminary statements.


	5. Chapter 5

As the Demmar officials entered the room in such an informal manner, Koril fought to keep his expression neutral. He hadn't yet worked with First Regent Onndo and his other officers directly since beginning his tenure as Paneau's High Commander, but he had long heard of Onndo's reputation for devious business transactions that amounted to little less than fraud. Somehow the First Regent had been able to evade any formal complaints or charges, and his arrogant expression even as he sat amongst some of the most intelligent minds in the sector only furthered Koril's aversion to him. Left with even less motivation to aid the detestable lowlife but eager to learn about the plight, Koril struggled to concentrate on anything Onndo had to say.

"So good to see my friends," Onndo began with lightly disguised mockery. "We didn't keep you too long, did we?"

Koril exchanged an irritated look with Chief Vizier Brandalton, Salastryn's equivalent of Head of Security, but neither corrected Onndo, remaining quiet to keep the conversation going. Onndo grinned at their reactions, but he, too, moved on. "As I'm sure you know, I am First Regent Callindeor Mestam Onndo. I brought with me my Second Regent Edeben Edlu, and Regional Regent Sado Qi." Koril recognized the eldest of the three, Edlu, from previous meetings he had taken Veon to while he was still king, but the younger woman, Qi, looked almost afraid as she sat beside Onndo. Though thoroughly enjoying the attention he was earning from the entire room, Onndo passed the focus off onto Salastryn's officials with another insincere grin. "Chief Vizier Brandalton, who is among your team?"

Drawing in a slow breath to calm himself, Brandalton took his time in introducing his officers. "Tennett Amarin, Chief Security Advisor," he indicated a graying man beside him, "and Reseda Magri, General of Salastryn's Foreign Army." The general on the other side of Amarin looked to be the oldest in the room, but his eyes were sharp, watching Onndo carefully. Onndo faked a considerate nod to the Salastryni, then with an equally artificial smile, he turned to Koril. "And you, High Commander Rys'tihn, I see you bring the...youth to this summit. Making your first appearance in these official proceedings, I hope you don't feel as though you are under any sort of pressure, surrounded by us veterans."

Clenching his jaw to keep from biting back, Koril kept a hard, locked gaze on Onndo. "I'm perfectly comfortable, First Regent, but thank you for your concern. Admiral Mik Sokol, Paneau's Royal Navy Fleet Chief," he quickly introduced his officers, "Feylora Noxymer, Dalon's Deputy Security Chief, and Mand Natiyr, an advisor on your specific problem."

Onndo looked surprised, though whether it was fake or not, Koril couldn't be sure. "Our specific problem? You already know with what we are dealing?"

Koril narrowed his eyes, hoping to keep conversation off of Mand. "It's no secret what's been stolen from you over the past few months. I chose my officials based on how well I believed they would be able to help you."

"Well, it seems that you've got it all figured out already," Onndo bantered, turning his gaze to Mand in challenge. "Let's hear it, Miss...I'm sorry, I must have missed it. What was your title again?"

Demanding Onndo's attention, Koril spoke up again strongly. "She is a friend, and I value her input. That is _all_ you need to know."

Onndo sat back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm afraid I'm no longer comfortable continuing with this summit. I wasn't aware that _civilians_ were invited. I am not going to discuss Demmar's sensitive security information with such...such filth sitting in front of me!"

Barely saving Koril from answering rashly, Brandalton spoke first. "She stays, or we all leave, Onndo!"

All Salastryni and Paneau leveled furious glares at Onndo, and confronted with such odds, he eventually backed down, flashing an unpleasant smile at Koril and another defiant look at Mand. Once Onndo turned to his officers and began to whisper with them, Koril glanced to his side at Mand, unsure how she had handled the exchange. Despite looking tired, she seemed unscathed, and she nodded as she met his gaze. He knew Onndo was going to be difficult, but he had half hoped that the Demmar would ignore her as he thought they would ignore him for being so young and, in their minds, inexperienced. He hadn't expected Onndo to fixate on Mand as he had already, and feeling somewhat at fault for the extra stress she had to endure, he put a hand on her shoulder, expressing his concern.

Catching his eyes again, Mand maintained a resolute look. "He doesn't scare me."

Koril nodded after a moment and dropped his hand, returning his focus across the table on the Demmar. Onndo was still quietly conversing with his officials, but thankfully they finished a few minutes later and reluctantly resumed talk with the group as a whole.

"You all are familiar with our...recent situation, yes?" Getting cautious nods from the others, Onndo continued, looking more serious than he had yet. "We haven't been able to get very far in our investigations into these raids, mostly because they seem almost like inside jobs. The city of Kanab was hit most often, reporting upwards of seventy plasma manifolds missing from one storage facility alone. All our security there was and is still in full working order, we've confirmed, including regular guard patrols, holocams, even stationary cameras. Under cover of darkness for several consecutive nights, two individuals entered the facility with valid codes and left minutes later empty-handed, but the manifolds were gone the next morning. The same scenario played out with the power generators in Wray, a city on the opposite side of Demmar. No one ever sees the two going inside the facilities, and no one is ever able to catch them leaving. The time of night is always different, the amount of time they spend inside varies, and they never leave with _anything_. We are absolutely baffled, which is why I've asked for help from our kind neighbors."

General Magri was first to speak up. "You say their codes were valid?"

Onndo nodded. "Even after changing them hour by hour, these vandals somehow still knew the right codes."

Glancing sideways at the others, Amarin didn't buy Onndo's story. "Sounds like a personnel problem, to me," he said in a low voice.

"Every guard and facility manager were replaced repeatedly, interrogated thoroughly, and monitored closely. No employee of the Demmar government is ever hired without proper investigation."

"And yet you say that these are inside jobs," Noxymer spoke for the first time. She was a short woman, but what she lacked in stature, she made up for in her attitude and dedication to her duty. Koril had known her for some time, as she had worked closely and often with his father while the Security Council had still been in operation under King Veoton. Sensing that her tone of questioning was quickly drifting toward suspicion, Onndo fought back.

"I said that they _seem_ like operations worked by insiders. Did I not just mention how rigorously our employees are screened? Our personnel is _not _at fault here, something else is in control." Shooting a threatening look at Koril, Onndo continued. "At first we thought we were being worked over by the Huxnel, as you had been, what was it, a year ago? It seems that recently they have come to prefer our secluded little sector, but they _cannot _be behind all this. The entire Huxnel organization was taken down almost five months ago by the New Republic, so we have been left to search for other pirates and scum who may be passing through."

Completely blindsided, Koril blinked, looking at Onndo incredulously. The Huxnel were gone? That was one bit of news he hadn't heard, and even though he had focused almost solely on his recovery for the past six months, he was fairly certain his interim commanders would have informed him of such an important victory. What surprised him more, though, as he looked at Mand, was seeing her wearing the same dumbfounded expression. She didn't know, _either_?

"What intelligence _do_ you have, First Regent?"

Onndo had been watching Koril and Mand intently, but distracted by Brandalton's question, he looked elsewhere. "We know what kind of equipment and which storage facilities the thieves have been targeting. We've increased the nightwatch to more than ten guards, and each facility is under strict orders to perform inventory and system performance checks every hour. The number of thefts has decreased but not disappeared. The only information we've been able to gather on the thieves is that there are two of them at each location, and based on their body builds, we're looking for at least eight different individuals. Who they work for still remains a mystery."

"Who designed your security?"

Suddenly frustrated by the continuing questions, Onndo sighed irritatedly. "It's clear that this discussion is not working. I can more fully brief you all on our situation if we were actually standing in one of our storage facilities, showing you everything I have been talking about. It will be so much easier for you to understand if you can see our operations and security systems in person, and we can reconvene and continue the summit on Demmar. What do you say?"

Wary of the First Regent's eagerness to take the summit to Demmar, Koril again exchanged an anxious glance with Brandalton who, too, looked reluctant to leave. Onndo's expression remained expectant, though, and knowing that his claim had merit, Koril sighed and returned to him.

"Allow Chief Vizier Brandalton and I time to organize our guards to send to the site ahead of us."

Onndo looked briefly surprised, but he eventually nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Very well. An escort will be awaiting you at your ships, and Demmar will be ready for your arrival."

Onndo and his officers stood from the table without saying anything further, quickly leaving with their guards the same way they came. Bothered by the change in plans, Brandalton wasted no time in stepping up beside Koril, leaning over him slightly to speak with him quietly.

"This is not a good idea," he began intensely. "I got them to agree to middle ground so we wouldn't have any surprises like this pulled over us. We shouldn't go."

"It'll be worse if we don't go and don't figure out what's going on. We can still help them and take our normal precautions at the same time."

Beside him, Mand spoke up carefully. "He was far too eager to get us to leave and sit around on his territory instead."

Brandalton agreed. "This is a dejarik match, High Commander, only now we're being forced to make our moves without seeing the table or the other holomonsters in our path."

Though Koril, too, was hesitant to walk into unfamiliar surroundings and possible danger on Demmar, something about the thefts made him curious. He wanted to get to the bottom of the situation, and quickly, to resolve any and all security issues he could on his return to work. Even though investigating Demmar's problem already seemed to be a lofty task, he still felt as though it needed to be done.

"Call for your men, Chief Vizier. I'll be bringing at least three divisions from Paneau. You and I can coordinate post assignments on our way."

With reluctant approval, Brandalton nodded as he stepped back, returning to his officers to discuss their course of action. Koril, in turn, looked to Admiral Sokol and Noxymer, speaking quietly.

"Admiral, contact General Paelacia for the divisions, at least three if they can't spare more. Tell them to move quickly and meet us here in the city. Ms. Noxymer, get me a map of Demmar's chosen location for the summit, as well as its security arrangements, landing platform layouts and a five kilometer radius of the buildings and streets surrounding it. I don't want to be surprised by anything."

Both Sokol and Noxymer nodded and left with a salute, heading for the _Celestia_ to complete their tasks. Though Kaydee still stood loyally behind Mand as she had throughout the meeting, the droid stepped back as Koril turned to face them, and Mand met his gaze with a worried expression.

"Mand, had you heard anything about what Onndo said of the Huxnel?"

"No," she said as she shook her head, "nothing. I had no idea. You'd think that if the New Republic had taken them down, they'd at least have been kind enough to tell _us_ about it, especially after all the trouble we've had with them recently."

"I know," he agreed. "It doesn't make sense."

"Can we believe Onndo?"

In any other situation, he would've said no, but for the one at hand, he struggled to answer. "I can't think of a reason why he'd lie about something like that. He has to know that we'd find out somehow."

"Maybe he thought it would distract us? Get us to lower our guard? He wasn't exactly dripping with pleasantries and charm, at least anything sincere, anyway. He's up to something."

Koril nodded. "We need to find out for sure. If what he said is true, then we're going to be chasing ghosts out here."

Glancing furtively to the others that were still in the conference room, Mand quieted her voice even more. "Not exactly."

Surprised, he moved closer to her, matching her volume. "What do you mean?"

She again looked about, making sure no one had taken an interest in their conversation as she hesitantly explained. "Even if the New Republic has captured the Huxnel, they may only be able to claim victory over the leaders and their capital ships."

Koril furrowed his brows, confused. "That's...usually the point."

"But there could very well be hundreds of operatives who were already out on their missions, far from any of the bases or flagships, and the databases aboard the _Vandal_ and the other Star Destroyers wouldn't have _any_ information on them." Pausing briefly, she lowered her voice even more. "This could still be the Huxnel's doing."

Koril blinked. "They wouldn't have _any_ information?"

"Once the operatives are sent off on their missions, any record of them is removed from all the systems. They're completely cut off, working with whatever resources they can find on their way, and if their mission isn't carried out in its entirety, they don't come back at all. The--"

But stopping midword, a strange look of realization rolled over Mand's face, shifting quickly into anger as she glared at the door the Demmar had left through just minutes earlier. "That's one way he'd know," she finally said darkly.

Again, Koril leaned closer. "...Mand?"

As she looked back to him, her anger subsided, replaced by hesitation and uncertainty. She shook her head, seeming to dismiss her earlier conclusion. "No, it's probably too big of a jump..."

"What is?"

Releasing a shaky breath, she answered after a long moment. "...that Onndo would know the Huxnel were gone...because he's working with the very operatives that are robbing him."

Dumbfounded once more, Koril struggled to make sense of the leap, and understanding the look on his face, Mand continued. "If the operatives were finished stealing the equipment they needed to complete their mission, they'd be trying to get in contact with any bases they could. If none of them answered...it wouldn't be too hard to figure out what had happened. And if Onndo was...in league with them for whatever reason, that's one way he would know that a large part of the Huxnel had been detained."

Though he could follow her train of logic, he still wasn't completely sold. "It wouldn't be out of character for Onndo, but...why would he ask us to help him? Why would he bring all of this to our attention so suddenly?"

"I don't know," Mand answered distantly, and as she returned to him, she looked even more worried. "I have a really bad feeling about this, Koril."

He nodded, but he remained firm in his decision. "But if you're right, then the citizens of Demmar are in danger. Their government is being manipulated by the Huxnel, and as their neighbors, we have a duty to help protect them."

Eventually, Mand nodded, too, remaining silent as they both continued to think over the developments. Koril sighed, bringing a hand to his mouth as he concentrated. Why would Onndo be working with the Huxnel? It wasn't beneath him to associate with such criminals, but what kind of situation would benefit him as they stole from his own stores? Was he being truthful in reporting what was missing? Was he trying to get Salastryn and Paneau tangled up with the Huxnel again, too? So many questions, and nothing about the entire situation made any sense. But desperate to at least figure something out while they waited for reinforcements to arrive from home, he decided to question Mand more.

"What else do you know about that painting?"

Surprised at the question, Mand looked at him blankly. "What do you mean?"

"Were there any other details you can remember? About the schematics, the weapon, anything?"

She shook her head apologetically. "I was only twelve. All I cared about...all I was trained to care about, was getting to the painting alive, getting out with the painting...alive, and making sure it was protected from the environment of Hoth."

No sooner had Mand finished her sentence than had all the color drained from her face as she froze with a terrified expression. Confused by her reaction, he briefly wondered if she were suddenly falling ill, but as he thought back to what she had said..._Hoth_...

Nine years ago, Mand was twelve years old and an agent for the Huxnel. Nine years ago, his aunt Jaala and her husband Tarin Scorne had been killed...over Hoth. Tarin had been a well-known art collector who stored his precious treasures in deep, heavily fortified and modified bunkers near his home on the ice planet...an avid art collector, who would have been desperate to acquire such a coveted, crucial, and unique painting...

Koril stared in horrified shock. His father's sister, one of the few Rys'tihn relatives he had...and sitting beside him, a friend...

"No," he was barely able to breathe, shaking his head in disbelief. Mand still sat motionless in her seat, her gaze locked straight ahead of her. She had hidden it from him all this time, but how could she...how dare she...

"Koril," she tried to say shakily, "look, I--"

"No," he stopped her, slowly standing from his seat and stepping away from her, an icy, terrible pain gripping him. "You...you were there...and she...she died, you--you killed her for that painting?"

Finally moving, Mand looked up at him, remorse saturating her expression. "Koril, I wasn't the--"

"No," he interrupted her again, bringing a hand up to silence her as he continued to shake his head. "No. I don't want to hear it."

Stepping further from her, he stared at the floor in front of him, again bringing a hand to his mouth as he struggled to maintain his composure. He could feel himself shaking, and he knew his expression had to be impossible to read, and he preferred to keep it that way. Lowering his hand, he tugged his uniform jacket taut at his sides, and looking at Mand with a hard gaze as she allowed anguished tears to fall, he swallowed.

"Kaydee," he began shortly, not even looking at the droid, "...we're leaving."

Though he expected Kaydee to protest, the droid obeyed and left Mand behind, albeit slowly. Not even giving her the chance to speak once more, Koril, too, turned and left Mand, returning to the _Celestia_ to depart for Demmar.


	6. Chapter 6

As he finished his guard assignments coordinated with Brandalton's men, Koril sat back from the console in his bedroom aboard the _Celestia_, still upset by what he had just learned from Mand. He hadn't expected her involvement in his Aunt Jaala's death, nor had he expected her to withhold it from him. But thinking back to all she had done for him recently, how was she to have brought it up? He considered both Rech and Mand among his closest and most trusted friends, despite their mixed backgrounds. She had risked her life for him repeatedly while traversing the galaxy after the Huxnel had taken him hostage, and she had been instrumental in helping him and Elena transition into parenthood. No, he thought, if he had been in her shoes, he wouldn't have said anything, either.

He still wasn't sure how to feel about the situation, though, and in the middle of such a detailed and precarious operation, he couldn't let it affect him. Behind him, he could hear Kaydee's servos whining as she paced, and aware of what was bothering her, he turned to face her. Kaydee, however, was quicker to speak.

"Master Koril, I know that you must be terribly distressed over this, but Mistress Mand has been such a very good friend to us, and --"

"I know, Kaydee," he interrupted her. "I overreacted."

"And another thing, you -- oh," she stammered, "well--yes, I mean, I suppose... Master Koril, do forgive me. It is not my place to make such statements."

"It's okay, Kaydee. You're right."

Again the driod struggled to speak. "I--I am?"

He nodded. "I didn't even give her a chance to explain herself. I should go back to get her..."

As he stood, Kaydee moved toward him. "Master Koril, I think it is best that you continue your duties here. Allow me to retrieve Mistress Mand."

Agreeing again, Koril nodded after a moment. "Take Captain Arscoll with you. We'll wait for you to return."

"Of course, Master Koril." With a quick bow, Kaydee left the room, and Koril followed after a few moments. Admiral Sokol met him in the main corridor, a serious expression on his face.

"The regiments are moments away, High Commander," Sokol addressed him. "Chief Vizier Brandalton and his guards have already landed on Demmar, but he will delay deployment until we arrive."

"Good. I want our guards to blend with theirs. Hopefully that way, it will look less like a...hostile takeover than security precautions."

Sokol looked confused. "Do you think the Demmar will be alarmed?"

Koril shrugged. "Wouldn't you be?"

"My government isn't self-destructing. They should welcome our presence."

Though Koril agreed, he didn't want to be presumptive, especially on the scale of a planetary population. Too much was at stake to allow room for arrogance or expectancy. "We'll see when we get there, Admiral." Hearing the shuttles from Paneau landing just beside the _Celestia_, Koril returned to Sokol. "Assemble everyone outside. I want to address them all."

"Yes, Sir," Sokol concluded with a nod, making his way out of the _Celestia_ to the platform outside. Within the ship, though, a few of his guards remained, including Lt. Hetcher in the cockpit. They stood to salute him, and nodding to them, he looked out the viewport, watching his guards pouring out onto the platform. Though he began to turn to leave, Lt. Hetcher stopped him.

"High Commander," Hetcher began as the other guards looked to him, too, "orders?"

Releasing a slow breath, Koril pulled a blaster from a storage crate and holstered it at his side. "We'll be taking the shuttles to Demmar. Lt. Hetcher, you'll remain here with the _Celestia_ until I give you word. The Salastryni will accommodate you, but I don't intend to leave you here for too long. Have additional shuttles on hand here, just in case we need some reinforcements, and keep an ear to any errant chatter while we're gone."

Getting affirmations from Lt. Hetcher and the guards beside him in the cockpit, Koril turned, making his way down the _Celestia_'s ramp with another pair of guards flanking him. He knew he wouldn't be at his best until he had spoken with Mand to make amends, but looking toward the conference hall where the summit had convened earlier and seeing neither Kaydee nor Mand, he sighed and stepped toward his guards, watching them as they organized themselves into formation. They stood at attention, and with their division commanders lined up through the middle of the groups, Koril looked them over, surveying his soldiers.

"Gentlemen," he began his address, his voice booming to reach the furthest officer, "I'm glad to see that you have arrived safely. You are probably all very curious as to why you have been deployed to foreign land, but rest assured, your questions will be answered very soon." Clasping his hands behind his back, he began pacing in front of the guards, meeting gaze after gaze as he moved. "We have entered into quite a...delicate situation. I will not lie to you; tensions are high. But you, Paneau's brightest and best will be our first defense against any escalation.

"I do not have to ask you to be vigilant, to be observant...because I already know that you are; you would not be here, standing on an unfamiliar planet among a hundred of your brothers in arms, if you were not. But I expect that our situation may be resolved by the slightest detail, a seemingly insignificant element, so it is with complete understanding of your superior skill sets that I ask you to be attentive. You may be surprised by what you see.

"You will be stationed alongside our longtime friends, the Salastryni, throughout the Demmar city of Wray, and your division commanders will give you your post assignments while we're en route. I realize that not many of you have ever set foot on Salastryn before, let alone Demmar, so I know it will be a completely new experience for the majority of us. Wray itself is not an overly populous city, but it is likely that you will encounter resistance. You may not be welcome, but you will have a job to do there. Even though you are proud members of Paneau's Royal Guard, you also have a duty to the citizens of this sector, and that is what takes you to Demmar today.

"As I said before, this is a delicate situation, and as such, from this point forward, you will heed _my _orders, and mine alone. Demmar's generals have _no_ power over you...and Salastryn's know better than to interfere with my men." Getting a few grins from nearby division commanders, Koril paused a moment before he continued, keeping his expression neutral. "You will be our sentries, and your service will not go unappreciated. Not only do the Paneau look to you for protection...today, the entire sector does, as well.

"Let me be clear: there will be danger, but with danger comes opportunity. I expect nothing less than Paneau's finest from all of you, and this sector expects peace." Allowing the weight of his words to sink in just a little more, Koril waited, concluding after a pause. "Good luck to you all, and I will see you back on Paneau very soon."

The entire group saluted him simultaneously, and as he nodded to dismiss them, they quickly scattered back to their shuttles they had just left. Fighting fatigue after the speech, Koril sighed tiredly and looked once more toward the conference hall. Kaydee was finally returning to the _Celestia_ with Captain Arscoll, but Mand was nowhere to be seen. Troubled but hopeful Kaydee had news, he waited for the two to talk first.

"Master Koril, I am afraid that we were unable to locate Mistress Mand," Kaydee reported worriedly.

"She wasn't in the conference room?"

Capt. Arscoll shook her head. "We checked with all of the Salastryni guards and servants that had been in the room and patrolling the halls, High Commander. She left."

"And let me guess," Koril sighed again, "no one saw her leave." Getting another negative from Arscoll, Koril ran a hand through his hair anxiously. As much as he didn't want to leave without her, he knew Salastryn's guards were waiting for them on Demmar, and their posts needed to be filled quickly to make the site as secure as it could possibly be during their stay. He massaged his temple briefly, but making his decision, he looked back up at Arscoll and nodded. "Captain, please...request kindly that the Salastryni be on the lookout for her, and tell them that I would greatly appreciate their hospitality if they do find her. If she returns here, please offer to take her home. She will probably be upset."

Though Arscoll nodded respectfully, she looked slightly confused. "Is...everything alright, Sir?"

Unable to answer yes but unwilling to answer no, Koril only maintained the captain's gaze briefly before looking to his droid. "Come on, Kaydee, let's go."

Stepping toward the five shuttles they were taking to Demmar, Koril directed Admiral Sokol and Deputy Security Chief Noxymer to different shuttles, spreading the officers out. Salastryn hadn't reported any difficulties as they traveled, but standard precautions mandated they travel separately, and Koril was happy to avoid scrutiny at Mand's absence. The short trip to Demmar would be long enough as he worried about her wellbeing, but having to answer questions would only make it worse. He'd face their inquiries later, he knew, but at least he gained an hour or two in which she could be found.

Absentmindedly, he took a seat inside the crammed shuttle as two ensigns stood from the bench, and though Kaydee politely engaged them in conversation, Koril heard little of it. He was too busy running things through his own thoughts, contemplating both his recent and older past.

He distinctly remembered the day his father told him of Jaala's death. She had just spent the day before at the Rys'tihn Manor, visiting her brother's family and presenting Merli'il with a precious gift Koril had later learned was the largest Hoth Diamond in existence. On her return trip home, her ship had been destroyed just before landing on the ice planet's surface. Official reports indicated that it had been the work of rival businessmen in the area, but even though Merli'il had tried to investigate further, he could never find any record of rivals that had made threats or interfered with Tarin's shipping business before the disaster. It all had to have been the work of the Huxnel, and they had covered their tracks well.

But what of Mand's involvement? She had barely been twelve at the time; twelve years old and no friends, no future except for servitude... Though he had only learned of her background from Elena very recently, he still had a hard time believing that the Huxnel had fielded a child in their dangerous operations, nevermind that she was a powerful Force user. Mand had been in the service of the Huxnel and her Dark Master as far back as she could remember, and only after working with Elena and Queen Tascit at fifteen during the Huxnel Invasion had her character truly been tested. If only something had influenced her three years earlier, keeping her away from Hoth and allowing his aunt's life to be spared...

Distracted from the passage of time during the trip, Koril snapped out of his thoughts as he heard the shuttle's engines powering up as they descended into Demmar's atmosphere. Within a few minutes it landed gently, and no sooner had the ramp lowered than had the Royal Guards inside dispersed, stepping out onto the dank platform under a cloudy, drizzly sky. Koril quickly followed, and looking about the platform, he immediately spotted Brandalton across the way, waiting patiently with his men. With Admiral Sokol at his side, Koril made his way over to the Salastryni, firmly shaking hands with the Chief Vizier once he reached him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Koril began politely, but Brandalton was eager to resume their business.

"Have your men been briefed?"

"Yes, Chief Vizier, they're ready to go."

Brandalton nodded to General Magri beside him, dismissing him to address their troops, before returning to Koril. "I sent a few scouts ahead while we were waiting to make sure their maps were accurate. So far, everything seems to be as they said it would."

Koril nodded. "Then we proceed as planned." As Brandalton nodded, too, Koril gave his division commanders the signal they had been awaiting to begin merging the Paneau and Salastryni guards into teams. With Brandalton's signal a few minutes later, the teams left the platform in different directions, scattering about the city of Wray to their various posts, armed with a blaster each and one map on a datapad between them. Both Brandalton and Koril sent out a few teams that hadn't been mixed as a tactical precaution, and Koril watched anxiously as his last teams left the platform. Though both men were confident in their guards, they exchanged uneasy glances as they received confirmation transmissions from their division leaders minutes later, indicating that all posts were in place and that they were cleared to enter the new summit hall.

* * *

It had only been a few minutes since the Paneau guards had left the shuttles and the platform, but as Mand stepped out from one she had hidden aboard, she met a young soldier who was guarding it. He turned to look at her and smiled as he bowed slightly, and Mand felt vaguely thankful that he recognized her.

"Mrs. Natiyr, shouldn't you be inside with the summit?"

Though she couldn't decipher a strange feeling she was battling after landing on Demmar, she knew she didn't want to go far. "I think I'm needed out here."

The guard shrugged. "Not much going on, ma'am. A few of these shuttles will soon be taking summit participants out to some warehouses about the city. Two Paneau, two Salastryni, and two Demmar. The Demmar shuttles are over there," he pointed across the way to four rusty, poorly maintained craft, "and Salastryn's are right next to ours."

Mand furrowed her brows. "And where did you say six shuttles are going?"

"I'm sure they'll be going to different locations. The Demmar gave us the coordinates of at least seven different places they plan to go. They've been very cooperative."

Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, Mand watched as a group of workers approached, each wearing the same tattered, stained jumpsuits and carrying varying buckets of equipment. They quickly scattered among the cluster of shuttles about the platform, but the leader approached Mand and the guard standing beside her.

"Courtesy maintenance on behalf of First Regent Onndo," the worker began benignly. "Any trouble on your way in?"

"No, we don't need any maintenance," the guard answered. "Take your mechanics and go."

"But the First Regent insists! Demmar's atmosphere is very humid, even moreso outside of the city. Your engines might not be equipped to handle all the moisture."

"We can compensate from the controls." Getting suspicious, the guard stepped around the shuttle, looking to the other Paneau craft that already had two mechanics with their hands already busily working at the shuttles' rear engine coils. "Hey! I said take your mechanics and leave!"

The leader eventually complied, whistling to get the other workers' attention, and together they left reluctantly. Though Mand saw as many leaving as had approached them, she still felt a few lifeforms bustling about the platform, staying behind the Salastryni shuttles. As the guard stepped about Paneau's ships, inspecting them for any sabotage, Mand instead tried to follow the presences she felt.

Every time she thought she was getting close, the strongest presence would already be a few steps further ahead of her, and it moved incredibly quickly. She didn't think she was chasing some kind of animal; its life force was complicated and expressed complex emotions. It had malicious intent, she could sense, but it always stayed just out of her reach, and she couldn't quite tell what it was doing. As she got closer to the Demmar shuttles, she could sense the two together, and as she followed them and rounded the last Demmar junker, the presences vanished, disappearing over the edge of the circular platform. She carefully stepped up to the edge, looking over it to see where they had gone, but she only saw a black void, one that wasn't even lit up by the flashes of lightning produced by the city's storm. She couldn't even sense them anymore, but they left her even less at ease, and her stomach was beginning to ache in fear...

"Mand?"

Koril's voice was comforting to hear, but as she turned to him, she was surprised to see he and Kaydee had stopped to talk to her while the other officials continued on to the shuttles and began boarding. He seemed concerned, and actually somewhat relieved to see her, but he was at a loss for words. She tried to keep her expression composed, but something was still unsettling her...

"What's going on?"

Koril looked confused, too. "We're getting ready to tour the warehouses that had been broken into. Mand," he continued carefully, "how did you..."

_The shuttles_.

"Get everyone out of the shuttles, now."

Still confused, Koril didn't move. "What? Why?"

Frustrated with his lack of action, Mand turned and quickly made her way about the platform, shouting to make sure those inside them could hear her. "Out of the shuttles! Leave this platform _now_!"

Mixed among the shuttles, a few of the officials began to comply, but none seemed too alarmed. Koril caught up to her and grabbed her arm, turning her around.

"Mand! What is wrong?"

Though still unsure herself, her pulse was already racing. She could still feel the sense of warning that greeted her on Demmar earlier, and it had suddenly become extremely urgent. "I don't know, but something's not right. The shuttles aren't safe..."

Despite briefly doubting her claim, Koril eventually nodded and released her, stepping over to the Paneau shuttles to empty them. Mand continued in front of the Demmar craft, ushering out troops and officials. All three planets' guards escorted their officers back inside, but Mand had only seen the Demmar return, not yet all of the Paneau or Salastryni...

The two Salastryni shuttles hadn't been evacuated yet. Their rear-loading ramps were facing away from the center of the platform, and those inside hadn't yet heard the calls. The alarm in Mand's mind was getting louder, and even as she sprinted to them and was beginning to order their occupants away, the alarm was getting...brighter?

Another stomach pang nearly doubled her over, and the realization of what was about to happen froze her in place. Seeing everything in slow motion, she looked to her left at Koril who was emptying the second Salastryni shuttle, and with as much power as she could muster in the span of a half second, she threw a mighty Force Push toward him and the others. They were launched backward, away from the shuttle...just as it and the other five that had been prepped to leave lit up with a bright flash and exploded simultaneously. Though she tried to put up a protective shield in front of her with the Force, a terrible pain deep in her abdomen stole her focus, and without anything to block the initial shockwave, she was blasted back, landing hard against the next Salastryni shuttle.

Nearly knocked unconscious by the blow, she hardly felt the heat of the explosion as it singed her exposed skin. Even though she fell into a heap beside the other shuttle's hull, debris struck her again after a second explosion, a chain reaction resulting from damage to the first craft's engines. Super-heated durasteel fragments tore through her clothes and embedded in her muscles, and with breathable air having been burned up in the explosions around the platform, she momentarily suffocated, struggling to cough to rid her lungs of smoke and toxic fumes.

Bruised and battered but amazed she was still alive, Mand waited, listening to a ferocious fire raging between the two destroyed Salastryni shuttles beside her. Afraid that more explosions would follow, though, she began to prop herself up. She hadn't moved much before agonizing pain in her abdomen once again engulfed her thoughts, and weakened by the blasts, she could do nothing to lessen it. With her arms wrapped tightly around herself, pain-induced tremors shook her, and she struggled to breathe without whimpering as she curled up on her side, immobilized by her intense suffering. She hadn't been hit by anything in the stomach that she could remember, but it was all that pained her. With the Force, she tried to touch the tiny life inside her, but she couldn't find it...she couldn't focus long enough...

Before she had even registered movement in her blurred vision, a Paneau guard found her and quickly scooped her up into his arms, bringing her out of the heat and smoke into clearer air. She felt another four sets of hands helping him to lower her to the ground, but onto her back, and again she rolled and curled up, even though it was no longer easing her pain. Beside her, she could hear them asking her questions, trying to assess her condition, but hopelessness was beginning to set in as her painful shaking resumed. It couldn't be...she hadn't been hurt that badly...

Though she hadn't been looking, she heard more guards lay other wounded beside her, and a familiar voice caught her attention. The guard she had been talking to earlier outside the Paneau shuttle sounded worried and upset.

"He's not breathing, no pulse...he's dead..."

Forcing her wounded muscles to move, Mand pulled her head up to see Koril laying motionless beside her. She stared in disbelief; she had Pushed him and the others away from the danger, out of the explosion's reach...she _knew_ she had saved him...unless...

Though he was in denial about it, his heart was still weak. The initial concussion from the exploding shuttle must have stopped his heart, or at least affected it enough to put it into an abnormal rhythm that it couldn't keep up. It just needed a jolt, a spark to get it going again...

Somehow finding the strength to reach out to him, she placed a shaky hand on Koril's shoulder, holding her breath and closing her eyes tightly to focus herself. She drew on the Force and concentrated on his heart, begging the electrical cells to fire...but they wouldn't. Again she tried to influence them, but they still refused. Though her pain was quickly draining her of stamina and focus, she touched _one_ tiny area...

She heard him gasp for air, but she didn't have time to feel relieved. The agonizing pain tore through her again, and without any energy to fight it, she gave in and fell into blackness.


	7. Chapter 7

Muffled choking and subdued voices were all he could hear, and it wasn't long before he realized he was the one coughing. The smell of smoke and burned flesh remained, but the more he coughed, the more it dissipated. The explosions were still fresh in his mind; he remembered being blown backwards, and the concussion of the blast stunned him mid-air, but...he couldn't remember landing back on the platform. He had been so close to the shuttle, and he wasn't sure how he had survived. Though he continued struggling to normalize his breathing, he had to get up and get to safety...

"High Commander," one of his guards stopped him as he looked up, "it's okay. You're out of danger. We'll get you inside." The guard signaled to four other Paneau guards nearby, and they began to hoist him up to carry him, but shaking his head, he waved them off.

"Sir, you're injured, let us help you."

But as Koril sat up and looked about the platform at the six destroyed, burning shuttles, anger was beginning to set in. His vision was still blurred and his hearing was minimal at best, but aside from lingering dizziness, he knew he'd be able to leave the platform under his own power. But who among his guards and officers hadn't been as fortunate?

As he began to stand, his guards protested, but after he shot an intense look at them, they quieted, though they remained close at his side. He knew there was only a precious window of time in which to figure out who had been behind the disaster, and determined to fight back, he looked to his guards.

"Secure the platform. I don't want anyone in or out unless injured. Send word to Commander Sarc--"

"Already done, Sir," a young lieutenant spoke up, though hesitantly. "Admiral Sokol and General Magri immediately tightened the perimeter and brought in more troops, and the Edgepoints and Concordes are already on their way to intercept any ships that leave." Still nervous and interpreting Koril's expression as anger at being undercut by his subordinate officers, the lieutenant continued. "You...you were dead, Sir."

Koril looked between his five guards in disbelief, but their faces confirmed it. They were all watching him extremely carefully, as if they expected him to collapse at any moment. Except for his smoke-irritated airway forcing him to cough intermittently, he felt well enough; he wasn't sore or bruised from the blast, and though his uniform was burned and slashed by bits of flying debris, he couldn't feel any serious wounds troubling him. And despite the intensity of the explosions he had absorbed as he was forced backward, he didn't even have a headache.

"Well, I'm fine now," he tried to reassure them as he brushed away dried blood from a slash on his cheek. "Where are the others?"

"Inside. Some have been taken to a medical center nearby. We should get you treated, too, Sir."

Shaking his head, Koril glanced back at the burning wreckage, running a dozen scenarios through his head. How had his security measures failed so critically? He needed answers, and deciding on a place to start, he returned to his guards.

"Come with me, and keep talking," he ordered as he set off for the summit hall to find its main comm room. "Tell me everything you all saw before and after."

The five kept tightly on his heels, and though another lieutenant began speaking, a few rough coughs momentarily robbed Koril of his breath, and his guards stopped him. Again he waved off their concern, continuing on into the hall. "Just irritation from the smoke, I'm alright. What were you saying?"

Though they didn't look convinced, the guard continued. "I was stationed out on the platform behind our shuttles, Sir. A Demmar maintenance crew came over and started to mess with them, insisting Onndo had ordered the work, but we thought we had gotten rid of them before they were able to do anything."

"Did you see them around any of the other shuttles?"

The guard shook his head. "No, I don't think so. They said they needed to work on our engines because they couldn't handle Demmar's moisture."

Stopping again, Koril turned to the guard, his expression intense. "You don't _think_ so, Lieutenant?"

Stammering for words, the guard stepped back from him. "I...I couldn't see some of the other craft from where I was standing, Sir. The crew came and went so quickly, and I didn't hear any of the Salastryni guards telling them to leave, so I thought they had only bothered us."

Resuming their walk, Koril lowered his voice as they passed a dozen Salastryni guards and a handful of Demmar officials. "It doesn't take long to plant an explosive."

"We checked the engines thoroughly, Sir," another guard countered cautiously. "There wasn't anything out of place, and they didn't leave anything behind."

"Fine," he allowed, deciding to investigate it later, "what else?" Getting reluctant looks from them, he stopped once more, turning to face them. "What else!"

"The only casualties were Salastryni, Sir," a third lieutenant spoke up, "Chief Vizier Brandalton among them. He was the last to leave his shuttle, and he was too close when..."

Though he tried to keep his expression neutral, Koril shook his head at the news as he rubbed his face. Brandalton had been reluctant to agree with him recently on allowing the summit to move to Demmar, but the Salastryni security chief had forged the closest alliance Paneau had seen in decades, and he had been instrumental during their recent troubles, offering support squadrons at a moment's notice. Losing such a valuable friend was going to change relations among the three worlds, but the whole situation had done that already...

But thinking back, the attack could have claimed them all if it hadn't been for Mand's intuition. She got almost everyone out of the shuttles before the explosions, but he couldn't remember seeing her after he regained consciousness. He looked up at his guards, expectant. "Do any of you know what happened to Mand Natiyr?"

One guard nodded. "She, too, took the blast pretty close. She survived, but she was in a lot of pain. Some Salastryni guards took her to the medical center along with their wounded. She...she saved your life, Sir."

"I know, she saved all of us, even Onn--"

"I mean she brought you back from death, Sir," the guard interrupted him. "You were gone. Before she passed out, she restarted your heart."

Koril blinked. His heart had stopped? That must have been the reason his guards were on edge as they intently monitored his every move and kept a tight circle around him. Though he appreciated their concern, there were other pressing matters. "Well, I don't plan on crashing anytime soon, so stop worrying and help me figure out what's happened here. Am I understood?"

The five each gave him a reluctant nod, and fighting a returning cough, Koril continued through the hall. After making his way through a corridor crowded with Demmar guards, he finally reached the main comm room, which was also swarming with Demmar. They immediately parted for him, though, allowing him through to Salastryn's General Magri at the center of the room where a holomap of the city was being projected in the air.

Before Magri could find his voice to speak, Koril began first as he stepped up to the map. "Show me all of the guard posts, Paneau, Demmar, and Salastryni alike, all superimposed."

A Demmar officer at the console beside Magri quickly complied, punching the information into the system. As they waited, Magri finally spoke up, his tone relieved but at the same time confused.

"High Commander...are you..."

Glancing briefly at Magri, Koril nodded. "I'm fine, General." Unfortunately, another coughing fit took hold of him to his chagrin, but he again waved off his guards. He was beginning to feel lightheaded as if he weren't getting enough oxygen, but taking in a few deep breaths, he fought it. He saw Admiral Sokol return to the room, and Sokol, too, looked relieved to see him, but his expression quickly fell as he looked Koril over.

"Sir, your arm..."

Looking down, Koril noticed his right sleeve was tattered and darkened with blood, but his arm still functioned and wasn't hurting, so he shook his head solemnly. "It's not mine."

But insistent, Sokol stepped up beside him, glancing at the floor where a few drips of blood had fallen from his cuff. "You _are_ bleeding, Sir."

Getting frustrated, Koril brought his arm up and tugged the fabric from his forearm to show Sokol that he wasn't injured...but he was. A long, jagged gash nearly ran the length of his forearm, and Koril stared at it blankly. He felt no pain from it at all, even as he flexed his wrist and his fingers. Sokol was quick to get a guard to bring bandages to him, and though they wrapped it up tightly to stop the bleeding, Koril felt vaguely troubled. Was he in shock over the whole incident, preventing him from feeling any of his injuries?

"Mapping is complete, High Commander."

Though still confused, he returned his arm to his side and looked up at the holomap, scouring over all the guard placements indicated by colored dots. Both he and Brandalton had painstakingly arranged the posts, making sure that every angle, every vulnerability was covered, but what had they missed? It had to be something small, or some kind of mistake in the city's map records...

"There," he said as he pointed to a narrow alley between two low-level towers devoid of any markings. "There should be a guard post there. Why isn't it showing up?" As he looked to the officer who had entered the information, the Demmar man shrugged.

"According to my records, no one reported in from that location, Sir."

Koril furrowed his brows, taken aback. "They should have. I specifically remember assigning that post."

Stepping up beside the console, another Demmar officer answered. "First Regent Onndo reassigned them elsewhere, High Commander. He claimed the area was already well-covered by the lookouts in the two towers and that they were needed closer to the starport."

"No," Koril continued, his volume increasing. "Those were my men. They would _not _have left their assignment. I placed them there because that alley has a direct track to the landing platform!" For emphasis, he rapidly traced the path from the alley to the platform, leveling his anger at the officer. "Yeah, those lookouts could see a tank cruising through, but a tank couldn't fit through that alley, only people! The lookouts can't see street level there, and...that's..." Feeling his lightheadedness returning without warning, his volume dropped off, as did his ability to continue speaking altogether. "The...they..."

Beside him, Admiral Sokol gripped his upper arm, steadying him as he wavered. "Sir? You need to sit down..."

But the Admiral's words hardly registered. Still trying to fight his vertigo, Koril shook his head and took in slow breaths, though to no avail. Color drained from his sight, and feeling his knees buckle underneath him, he fell limply to the floor, unconscious before he knew what had happened.

* * *

Several muted voices beside him brought him around, but listening intently, he heard more of what sounded like a busy room surrounding him. The voices faded behind footsteps that moved about him, and though he still felt groggy, he tried to breathe deeply, but was alarmed to discover that he couldn't. Something was constricting his chest, and his breathing quickened reflexively. Finally able to, he opened his eyes to see the blurry outline of a woman lean over him and caress his cheek with her hand...her _cold_ hand...

"Koril, relax, you're okay..."

Hearing his wife Elena's voice instantly soothed him, and focusing his eyes to see her face, he saw the turmoil in her eyes. Still dazed, though, he looked about the room in confusion.

"You're in a Wray medical center," she answered his silent question for him. "Admiral Sokol and your guards brought you here after you collapsed in the comm room."

He was still on Demmar? "Then how did you..."

Her lips thinned into a tight line. "We got some help from your sister."

"We?"

She nodded. "Rech is here, too. He healed you, but Koril," she continued quietly as her expression saddened, "you were lucky to have survived as long as you did."

Still confused, he looked up at her blankly. "What?"

"Look, I know that this has become a very volatile situation, and that you are in command of all the Paneau Royal Guard here, but...you're no good to your men dead! You _needed_ to be treated!"

He arched his eyebrows. "For my arm? They bandaged it, stopped the bleeding..." As he weakly lifted his arm up to show her, she looked at him with disbelief.

"...do you not remember the explosions?"

Wincing briefly at the memory, he nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"One of your guards told me he saw you land on a cargo crate on the platform. The corner of the crate pressed into your back at a vulnerable spot and tore a hole in a large artery. You bled internally..." She paused and released a shaky breath, looking even more worried as she finished. "The pain must have been terrible..."

Stunned, Koril could hardly formulate a response. He had suffered a similar injury years ago in the Huxnel Invasion, and he vividly remembered the agony it caused him. But like his arm wound, he hadn't been aware of it at all, and thinking months back, he hadn't hurt since...

"I didn't feel it," he confessed in bewilderment, but as he continued, realization set in. "I haven't felt _any _pain...since I woke up on Agamar..."

Though Elena, too, looked confused, her expression eventually relaxed into understanding. "The virus."

More than seven months ago, he had been the prisoner of a torturous, deadly virus the Huxnel had infected him with. Every few minutes, intense pain had ravaged his entire body without mercy, until the damage to his systems had become so severe that he slipped into a coma. After a helpful doctor had created a cure for him and saved him, he learned that the virus had attached itself directly to every nerve within him. Even though the virus was gone, it seemed to have left permanent damage behind.

"My muscles were never sore...even after a lot of training... I thought I wasn't pushing myself hard enough."

"But you just couldn't feel it," she continued for him sympathetically as she brushed her fingers across his cheek. "It makes sense. The virus completely desensitized you." She sighed, looking him over. "We'll figure out what to do about it later. Right now, you just have to rest. The Demmar surgeons almost killed you, too, but once we got here, Rech took over and quickly repaired the tear. You've still got an incision down your stomach, which is why you have bandages wrapped around you, but they're just precautionary. Rech patched you up well."

Glancing up at a bag hanging over him with dark liquid draining from it into an IV in his uninjured arm, she gave him a small but brief smile. "Your guards donated their blood for you." She looked to the side of the room where the same five guards who had been with him from the platform stood at attention, and though he nodded to them, they remained. Elena returned to him, straightening her stance. "They have orders from _me. _You're not going anywhere until that bag is empty."

Koril furrowed his brows, watching her as she stepped back from him. "Where are you going?"

Her expression saddened once more, and her voice became soft. "To see Mand."

Holding his breath, he watched her face closely. "Is she okay?"

But as Elena began to answer, she stopped herself, struggling to speak. With her hesitation, Koril was almost afraid to hear it, but he reached for her hand at her side, holding it tightly as he searched her eyes. "...Elena?"

She finally released a shaky breath and slowly began to nod. "She'll be alright...eventually..."

"What do you mean?"

Again she held back, her eyes sorrowful. Still holding her hand, he gently tightened his grip, anxious...

"Koril," she began in a quiet voice, "...she lost her baby. She was injured in the explosions, and it was too much."

He stared blankly, completely blindsided. An icy chill gripped his stomach and spread, numbing everything. "She...she was pregnant?"

Elena nodded. "Almost six weeks."

Beginning to feel responsible, he closed his eyes. "Why didn't she tell me?"

"She probably didn't want to worry you. I only found out this morning, too."

As much as he mourned the loss of Brandalton, his friends' grief and his own guilt drove a searing vibroblade through him. He brought a hand up to his face, holding his forehead in disbelief. "This is my fault... If I had known, I'd have kept her away from the shuttles...I wouldn't have let her come with me..."

But Elena shook her head as she gently tugged his hand away, holding it tightly. "Don't, Koril. If she hadn't been there...you all would have still been in those shuttles. I know it's hard to understand right now, but...she made the sacrifice that saved you and the other officials."

"No," he countered, still upset, "I refuse to accept that."

Though she opened her mouth to respond, she stopped, sighing sadly as she squeezed his hand. With a quick glance at his guards behind her, she leaned over him and kissed him softly. Still feeling the weight of fault, he could only give back halfheartedly, and as she stepped back from him once more, she spoke quietly. "Be careful," she warned caringly, as though she expected him to return to his duties without proper time to heal. She left after a few moments, and glancing up at the transfusion bag hanging above him, he decided he would do just that.

* * *

Returning to Mand's room, Elena was surprised to see Admiral Sokol standing just outside it. He was looking inside the room and didn't notice her approach until she spoke.

"Admiral Sokol," she addressed him, and as he turned to face her, he bowed slightly.

"M'lady," he greeted her in turn. Though he said nothing more, she could see in his expression that he had several things on his mind.

"Is there something we can do for you, Admiral?"

He briefly looked inside the room once more, then to the floor. "Forgive me. I came to express my gratitude to Mrs. Natiyr for her efforts today." Looking up to Elena, Sokol seemed genuinely worried. "Will she be alright?"

She nodded to Sokol's relief, and she offered him a small smile. "I'll let her know you came by." But her smile faded as she continued. "Admiral...is there anything I can do to help you with the investigation?"

The Admiral shook his head solemnly, glancing about the hall to make sure he wouldn't be overheard. "I haven't even had the chance to interview all of my men who had been on the platform. The only lead we have so far is a Demmar maintenance crew who had been around the shuttles before they were destroyed, but Demmar's First Regent isn't allowing us to question them. I'm afraid that without any other clues or help from the Demmar, we may not be able to make any further progress."

Though it wasn't the answer she wanted to hear, she saw within it a different kind of opportunity. "Then share with me the reason that the summit was requested in the first place."

Despite looking briefly hesitant, Sokol nodded. "I will brief you, but not here. I'll wait for you outside where an armed escort will take us to a more secure location."

After she agreed to the Admiral's terms, he quietly left with a pair of Paneau guards, and though an "armed escort" was supposed to make her feel safer, Elena briefly wondered how safe any of the Paneau could be on a planet they were totally unfamiliar with. Whoever this enemy was that they were fighting already had an advantage over them, having created a tense atmosphere of fear and suspicion without even showing their faces. She was desperate to help somehow, but at the same time reluctant to leave her friends...

Turning to look into the room, she saw Mand laying on her bed just as she had left her earlier, on her side and tightly curled up under a light blanket. Rech still sat at her side, holding her hand and gently trying to coax any kind of response he could out of his wife. She hadn't moved, spoken, or even blinked since she had woken up and been informed that she had lost her child, and Elena couldn't blame her. Mand was completely devastated, and understandably so, after being so eager to expand her family, and it pained Elena to see them both so crushed.

Though she hadn't tried to get his attention, Rech looked back at Elena and slowly stood from Mand, releasing her hand after a brief moment. He reluctantly left her and joined Elena in the hall, his expression tired and emotionally drained. Unsure of what to say, she put a hand on his arm, wordlessly expressing her support. He nodded after a moment, and after glancing back at Mand inside once more, he returned to Elena with a worn voice.

"How's Koril?"

Amazed that he was still concerned about him, she was hesitant to answer. "He's awake now. He'll be fine, thanks to you."

He nodded with a distant look in his eyes, and as a taut silence hung between them, Elena tentatively continued. "Has she..."

A lost expression took over his features as he shook his head, barely finding his voice as he answered. "I think she blames herself. She's...distancing herself from me like she's done before... I can't get anything through."

Elena nodded, remembering the previous disasters that had put both Rech and Mand through trying times. He and Elena had a friendship built on support and trust in each other, and having seen him in such a state before, she knew her encouragement was the best help she could offer. She pulled him into a warm embrace, keeping her voice soft.

"She's endured everything else with you at her side. This will be no different."

Though she wasn't sure how much her words helped, she continued to hold him tightly as they stood alone in the hall, doing everything she could to alleviate his pain.


	8. Chapter 8

Though he hadn't intended to fall asleep, Koril woke up in a brief haze. His room was quiet as it hadn't been before, but as he looked up to Captain Aurin Jax seated beside him, he noticed the other Paneau guards stationed with him, as well. Jax waited patiently as he woke up more fully, and getting a grip on his senses, Koril sat up in the bed, testing his strength. The injuries he had sustained in the explosion had sapped stamina, but his brief rest seemed to have recovered most of it.

"How are you feeling, Sir?" Jax asked solemnly, watching him move. After glancing up at the empty transfusion bag hanging over him, Koril rubbed his face briefly.

"Like it's time for me to get back to my job." Though he began to get up from the bed, Jax was quick to shove a glass of a foul-smelling liquid into his hand.

"Finish this first." Getting an annoyed look from Koril, Jax continued. "Your wife's orders."

Already aware of what it was, Koril sighed, reluctant to consume the whole glass. But anxious to get back to the investigation, he took a few quick gulps, downing the bitter bactade before he could taste much of it. He coughed after he finished swallowing, wincing at its terrible taste.

"Yeah," he said with another cough, "just how I remember it."

After suffering similar internal injuries years ago during the Huxnel Invasion, he had been forced to drink what felt like gallons of the healing solution in order to recover. It had done its job back then, and he remembered instantly feeling relief from it, but this time, rendered completely numb to any pain and therefore to any mending, all he could perceive was its bitterness.

"When did you get here, Captain?" Koril asked Jax, trying to distract himself as he took another sip.

"Not long ago, Sir. I arrived with General Kareu and our reinforcements. We're here to take you home."

Surprised, Koril looked up at the captain and shook his head. "I'm not leaving."

Jax, too, looked taken aback. "There was an attempt on your life, Sir. You nearly died. We need to get you to safety so you can recover."

But again, Koril shook his head, downing another few quick gulps. "I wasn't the only one targeted. The entire summit is still in danger, and I'm staying on top of this investigation."

"But, Sir--"

"That's _final_, Captain."

Meeting Jax's gaze with a defiant look, Koril stood his ground though he knew Jax meant well. He was only following orders he had been given, but as the High Commander, Koril was able to override them.

"I don't agree, Sir," Jax admitted with obvious reluctance, "but it is your call. How do you plan to proceed?"

Though he hadn't yet considered it, one thing immediately came to his mind.

"I want to know what happened in that alley. There's a local marketplace just beside it, so someone there had to have seen something. Get civilian dress for you, me, three guards, and any Salastryni officers that want to accompany us. I'll wait for you to return."

Again locking gazes in disagreement, Jax released a long, frustrated breath as he finally nodded, accepting his duty. "Yes, Sir." He left with a pair of guards, assigning the remaining four to stay with Koril. They moved closer to him, intent on offering any help their High Commander might need.

Unsure of how injured he still was, Koril felt along his stomach for an incision under the thick bandages that were wrapped around his waist. He felt his skin pull awkwardly just under his ribs, and though it didn't hurt him, he reflexively winced at the odd sensation, earning intense attention from his guards beside him. With a quick wave, he dismissed their concern and pressed his palm against his wound as he began to get up from his bed. The bandages restricted his breathing the more he moved, but finally standing, he straightened his back and drew in a long breath. His guards watched him carefully, but after convincing them he was alright, he grabbed a spare shirt from a nearby table and donned it, slipping it over his bandaged torso. He was already wearing a pair of light pants that matched the shirt, and though his guards opposed his movement, one brought him his boots to put on his bare feet.

Making his way through the Wray medical center with his guards close in tow, Koril passed several wounded officers who like him were still recovering. There were a few Salastryni and one other Paneau guard who looked to have sustained injuries from debris during the explosions, but the last room he stepped up to was Mand's, and as he looked in, he froze in place. She was curled up on her side on the bed, and even as he stepped closer to the room and moved to go inside, her gaze never shifted from a neutral, unfocused stare. Before he could open the door, though, his guards stepped back as Rech approached him in the hall, meeting him with a weary but concerned expression.

"Koril? Are you alright?"

Koril was quick to nod. "Yes, I'm fine." After a moment, he added, "Thank you for your help."

Rech nodded, too, and both men solemnly returned their attention to Mand inside. She remained motionless, seemingly unaware that her friend and her husband were so worried about her and standing mere meters from her. Still feeling guilty for his part in their pain, Koril looked at Rech, his face reflecting the grief in his voice.

"I...I am _so_ sorry, Rech..."

Even as he heard the words coming from his own mouth, he knew they were absurdly inadequate, but he could think of nothing more to say. He tried to continue, searching for another way to express his sadness for their loss, but still nothing appropriate found its way to him. Though Rech maintained his gaze on Mand inside, he shook his head, his own voice quieted by sorrow.

"It wasn't your fault."

But the absolution did nothing to ease his conscience, only bringing back the anger he had felt earlier after seeing the initial destruction. Despite the damage to all three groups, the attack felt like a personal blow to him, made even worse by the price Mand and Brandalton had to pay.

"I will find out what happened," Koril pledged strongly, "I promise you both. We should have been better prepared than this."

Finally meeting his gaze, Rech turned to him, and a subtle trace of tranquility began to saturate his features. "You can't anticipate everything, Koril. These things happen."

Koril blinked, confused by the sudden transition. Not only was Rech refusing to blame Koril for allowing Mand to become involved in the dangerous summit, but he was also diverting fault from Koril's failed security measures, willingly accepting the outcome without any anger in his heart. Though he remained in mourning, he was calm, pacified by something Koril had yet to grasp. In Rech's place, Koril was sure he wouldn't have been so composed, and the thought saddened him even more.

Looking back in at Mand, Koril released a shaky breath, thinking back. "She warned us. She got most of us out of the shuttles..." Lowering his gaze, he continued quietly. "She saved my life twice today. She doesn't deserve this kind of punishment..."

With a hand supportively on Koril's shoulder, Rech shook his head. "No one does."

Again their gazes met, and as another long silence stretched between them, Koril felt his resolve solidifying, fueled by his anger. "I _will_ find them. Paneau owes her that much."

Though Rech looked wary of the feelings behind Koril's tone of voice, he nodded after a moment, wordlessly returning to Mand's side in her room. He sat beside her, gently taking up her hand in his, but still she remained motionless. Feeling himself becoming even more angry as he watched, Koril left quickly, hoping to meet Captain Jax on his way.

* * *

"I'm afraid my contacts within New Republic Security are being exceptionally tight-lipped about this," Master Kanomin's holo began, "but I was able to confirm that the Huxnel were indeed captured. Months ago, their four Star Destroyers were quickly detained in a careful raid along the edges of the Unknown Regions. There's no word yet on whether the raid was a complete success, and New Republic agents are still on the lookout for any craft that may have escaped their nets the first time."

As Elena sat onboard the _Celestia_ in a fortified hangar far removed from the dangers of Wray's metropolis, she sighed at Jedi Master Amina Kanomin's report, unsure what it meant for their situation on Demmar. It wasn't long before Master Kanomin picked up on Elena's concern.

"You're not...happy about this news?"

Glancing at Admiral Sokol behind her, Elena shook her head. "We've run into complications. We're not sure who exactly we're up against, but suspicions still point to Huxnel involvement."

Again, Master Kanomin looked confused. "Do you suspect them of having a hand in the attack on Demmar, as well?"

"We don't know. There wasn't any evidence left behind that we can find, and...Mand still isn't responsive. She would know better than any of us if they were involved."

Nodding solemnly, Master Kanomin sighed. "I'll see what else I can garner from my contacts. They may not yet know what's happened. I'll arrange for--"

But before the Jedi Master could finish her sentence, the holo flickered with brief static and disappeared completely. Looking to the controls, Elena tried to recover the transmission, though to no avail. The connection was suddenly and inexplicably gone, and even as Admiral Sokol sat beside her and brought up diagnostics on the console in front of him, he, too, was at a loss.

"I'm not reading any interference from the hangar, m'lady, and the _Celestia_'s comm system checks out..."

"Then what's wrong?"

Admiral Sokol looked troubled as he continued working. "The subspace transceivers between here and there have been compromised, and since I can't get a response back from the closest one in this sector...the problem's on our end. We're cut off."

Elena blinked, turning to the Admiral with an anxious expression. "Cut off?"

"Short-range communication only," he answered with a nod, his fingers still flying over the console. "Until we find another transceiver's reach, we won't be able to contact anyone outside of this system." He thought briefly for a moment, then with determination, he began to power up the ship's engines, looking to Elena as he spoke. "They don't just fail, m'lady. We need to investigate."

Having already come to the same conclusion, Elena nodded and continued the startup sequence as Admiral Sokol opened a channel to the Edgepoints who were patrolling the skies overhead.

"Commander Jax, ready your squadron for departure to Zone Two-Two-Four. A subspace transceiver has gone dark, and we're going to find out why."

"Copy that, Admiral," Jax's voice came back immediately, though the channel remained open as he gave orders to his pilots. "Tiny, Mal, Gray, you three take point. Swip, Emp, and Daslen, you're with me. And Jod and Kress, make sure the message gets to the Valors, Liberas, and Concordes, in case we need backup."

The Edgepoints all gave their confirmations in rapid succession, and once the _Celestia_ was prepared, Elena eased it out of the hangar into the cloudy sky to be met almost immediately by their three leads. The remaining Edgepoints fell into formation behind them, and they broke out of Demmar's dense atmosphere within minutes. The trip to the zone of interest was fairly brief, though as the tense seconds passed, a nagging sense of unease filtered into Elena's thoughts while she and Sokol sat in silence. Like the Admiral, she, too, shifted her gaze between sensor readouts and the viewport in front of her, expecting a foe to attack them out of nowhere, but the ship's scope remained quiet.

"Coming up on Zone Two-Two-Four, Admiral," Gray Flisteg reported over the comm. "We'll scout ahead, Sir." The three leads accelerated forward into empty space as Elena brought the _Celestia_ to a halt, hanging back to observe from a distance.

"Any visual?"

"Negative, Admiral, and our scopes are clear. We're not even picking up the transceiver's signal."

"If these old subspace net charts are still accurate, we should be right on top of it, Two..."

"I don't...wait, I think I--"

Just as Mal's words were cut short, Elena saw a brief, bright flash of light engulf all three Edgepoints, freezing her breath in her chest. The _Celestia_'s sensors could no longer locate the Edgepoints' ships, and where they had once been, a gaping void remained instead. There were no other ships around, nor were any fleeing the area, leaving Elena in bewildered shock. But the Edgepoints' fighters hadn't...exploded...had they?

"Edgepoint Two, do you copy? Edgepoint Six, respond!"

Watching out the viewport intently, Elena felt her heart skip a beat as she saw light from a nearby star reflecting off the hull of what looked like one of their fighters. It disappeared after a moment, only to be mirrored seconds later by another fighter just beside it. They hadn't been destroyed? She checked the sensors again, and even though she could see the Edgepoints simply floating about without any control, their fighters were no longer putting out detectable signals. Their systems had been completely disabled, but by what?

"Admiral, return to Demmar!" Commander Jax ordered over the comm as he and another Edgepoint swooped around in front of the _Celestia_, protecting them from their unseen adversary. But unwilling to leave the Edgepoints, Elena raised the ship's shields and waited, hoping to see what they were up against...

"M'lady, we should leave," Sokol protested fervently, but before he could continue, momentary chaos ensued. The two ships in front of them suddenly dove to their right, rolling away as a bright flash like the one they had seen just minutes before chased them.

"Evasive maneuvers! Swip, stay on top of the _Celestia_, I can't see th--"

Another flash, and Commander Jax's ship stalled, but a moment later, turbolaser fire came from Swip's fighter just beside them, and a small explosion showered debris across the _Celestia_'s shields. An eerie silence filled the cockpit as both Elena and Admiral Sokol stared out the viewport intensely, but as the anxious seconds passed without another attack or even any noticeable movement from anything other than the Edgepoints' disabled craft in front of them, Elena returned to the controls, running extensive sensor sweeps.

"Swip, what did you see?"

"I'm not sure, m'lady," he returned repentantly. "It didn't have a heat signature, and it wasn't a ship..."

Beside her, Admiral Sokol spoke up, too. "A droid, perhaps?"

"It's possible, Sir. I just...reacted after I saw it discharge at Commander Jax... I don't know what it was."

A droid that was systematically able to disable subspace relays and quick, nimble fighters while at the same time avoiding any detection...

"We have to assume that there are others," Sokol continued. "Swip and Daslen, return to Demmar and inform the High Commander while we tow your squadmates to Forerove's moon."

"We should stay with you, Admiral, in case more return," Daslen protested, but Elena answered before Sokol could.

"Get back to Demmar, Daslen. If there are more, no one will know we're out here if we're all disabled. The rest of the sector needs to know what's happened."

"Yes, m'lady," Daslen answered sadly, and as he and Swip reluctantly departed, Elena looked out the viewport at the five Edgepoints whose fighters sat useless in the coldness of space. Along with their engines and necessary ship systems, their life support had to have been disabled, too, bringing the pilots closer and closer to death as the minutes passed by.

"How much time do they have, Admiral?"

Admiral Sokol released a slow breath, making calculations in his head as he continued to check the sensor readouts. "If the extreme cold doesn't get them first, they'll suffocate in about ten minutes."

"Then we're wasting time."

Without waiting for Sokol's approval, Elena launched the _Celestia_'s tow cable at the nearest fighter, glad to feel the gentle lurch the yacht gave as it latched on. Forerove's moon was close by, but not close enough to her liking, and unfortunately, the _Celestia_ was equipped with only one tow cable. But determined to retrieve them all, she worked quickly but carefully, making sure to gently lower the fighter to the moon's surface before returning to the others.

* * *

Clad in a dull, short cloak that covered him to his knees, Koril carefully navigated Wray's streets with Captain Aurin Jax at his side, warily watching the populace as he pulled his hood over his head in a drizzling rain. Two of his guards kept a few steps behind him, and Salastryn's officers were just behind them as they, too, monitored the crowds for any sign of danger. They had been ignored for the most part as they walked, and Koril had hoped they wouldn't draw attention to themselves, but as they approached the alley that was surrounded by a busy marketplace, one older merchant watched them curiously -- until he saw Koril had noticed him, in turn. The merchant hunkered down behind his damp fruits, and after briefly looking down the alley, Koril crossed the street despite Capt. Jax's protests. He pretended to be interested in the produce, but the short man behind the carts kept his interest instead.

After seeing that Koril and his men weren't immediately intent on harming him, the merchant spoke up carefully with a unique accent. "You're...not from here."

Koril arched his eyebrow, recognizing its dialect. "Neither are you. How do you know?"

The merchant looked over his cart at their feet, which were already covered in a thick layer of mud from the soaking rain. "I'm Salastryni. I was relocated here by the First Regent. I recognize your boots." As he looked up at them, he correctly identified the two groups. "You're Salastryni," he said, looking first at the two officers in the back, "and you're Paneau." Meeting Koril's gaze, the merchant cowered as though expecting some kind of backlash from him, but finding him intriguing, Koril continued.

"Have you been here all day?"

The merchant nodded. "Since sunup. The First Regent expects one of my telfi rolls every morning. It's why he made me move here."

"Did you see other Paneau officers around here earlier?"

"Oh, yes," he answered excitedly. "They were standing right over there." He pointed behind the group at the alley's opening, which was exactly where Koril had assigned them. "I offered them some telfi rolls, too, but they wouldn't take them. They were polite about it, though, so I held on to a few in case they changed their minds after their shift ended."

So his officers _had _arrived and taken up their post, but why hadn't they reported in? Concerned, Koril glanced at Capt. Jax before he returned to the merchant. "What else did you see?"

Suddenly nervous, the merchant looked from side to side, afraid to speak. Anxious to hear what he had to say, though, Koril glanced around, too, before lowering his voice while at the same time keeping his tone confident. "It's okay, we can protect you."

Though he still looked scared, the merchant eventually nodded, speaking in a shaky voice. "Two Demmar guards approached them a few minutes after they arrived. They talked for a while, but one of the Paneau looked straight at me...gave me some kind of hand signal...before they all walked down the alley together. They disappeared eventually, but...I...I heard blaster fire, and then...nothing."

Even more distressed, Koril barely breathed. "The hand signal, what was it?"

The merchant thought for a moment before he put his arm down at his side and pointed three fingers to the ground. Beside Koril, Capt. Jax sounded just as alarmed as he was.

"They were calling for _backup_..."

Responding quickly, Koril turned to the Salastryni officers. "Stay here with him and make sure he is protected until we return. If your officials don't want to harbor him, I will." Getting affirmations from them, he nodded his thanks to the merchant, and with Capt. Jax following closely behind him, he returned to the alley and drew his blaster at his side. The alley narrowed and darkened as they traveled down it, but seeing nothing ahead of them and acting on a hunch, he turned into an open corridor beside him that led to a vacant shop...where his two officers lay dead on the floor. Even though the room was dark, Koril could see the blaster burns square in the center of their chests that would have killed them instantly, and briefly reflecting on their last moments of life angered him to the point where his fist shook at his side. They had to have left some clue behind...something to identify their attackers...

"Sir, it's not safe here," Jax warned as he tugged on Koril's arm. "We should get back to the marketplace..."

But he shook off the captain's grip, determined to find something. As he knelt beside one of the guards, he noticed a piece of fabric curled up in his palm. Pulling it from his cold fingers, Koril stood and looked it over, but it was too dark in the room to make out its pattern. With Jax and the other two guards close in tow, Koril returned to the brighter alley and turned the cloth over in his hand to see a familiar symbol...one he had hoped he had seen the last of months ago.

Stepping up beside him, Capt. Jax recognized it, too, his voice on edge.

"That's...not Demmar."


	9. Chapter 9

Looking back into the shop at his two dead guards, Koril thought through the chain of events that was rapidly unfolding, desperate to get a grasp on what had happened to his men.

"They signaled for backup, so they knew those two were Huxnel? Why would they have gone with them willingly?"

Captain Jax's questions mirrored his own, but the more Koril considered everything, the less clear the answers became.

"The merchant made a point of identifying them as Demmar," he reminded Jax as he turned the cloth over in his hand. "The Huxnel were probably disguised, just like we are. Our guards may have had suspicions but didn't know for sure until it was too late."

"It looks like they put up a good fight, though, Sir," Jax continued sadly as he stepped back inside, allowing his eyes to adjust to the room's darkness to look over the two. "The ensign got a broken jaw in exchange for that fistful of Huxnel uniform, and they're both bruised."

Koril nodded, though the thought did little to curb his frustration. His guards had been disposed of by two Huxnel agents, but how had they known where he had assigned the guard posts? Only he and Brandalton had control of the preparations before his troops had arrived in Wray, so how had the Huxnel so promptly targeted the alley as a weak point in their defenses to exploit?

With his fist resting against his upper lip as he thought, he spoke quietly. "This doesn't make any sense..."

"Sir?"

Bringing his focus back into the room, Koril looked at Jax, curious about his take on the situation. "Do you know why we're here on Demmar, Captain?"

Jax nodded. "The summit was relocated here."

"The Demmar have been stolen from for the past four months. Equipment mostly, seemingly innocuous, but they only just decided to tell anyone about it." Pausing briefly, Koril looked to the floor, recalling the conference. "Onndo was _so_ quick to deny Huxnel involvement..."

"But here they are," Jax continued for him, "trying to kill you and Mrs. Natiyr again by destroying our shuttles." His tone was beginning to reflect his irritation at the situation, but after a moment of thought, he looked vaguely confused. "Do you think...that the Demmar are working with the Huxnel, Sir?"

Koril furrowed his brows at the second accusation of such betrayal by Onndo. He hadn't immediately dismissed the possibility earlier, but thinking back on it...

"The attack on the shuttles would have killed Onndo, too. I remember: he had been aboard one of the two Demmar shuttles that exploded. If he is working with them, this attack wasn't his idea; he would _not_ have willingly endangered himself like that. He couldn't have known about it."

Eventually, Jax nodded, accepting Koril's argument, but despite it making sense, Jax still looked troubled.

"With all due respect, Sir, I still think we should get you home. Let us handle this here while you recover, and we'll keep --"

"Did I not make myself clear earlier, Captain?" Koril challenged Jax severely, silencing him once again as he stepped towards him. "I didn't think I'd be getting this from you. I'm not dying, I'm not even hurting. This investigation is my responsibility, and I'm not going anywhere. If you question me one more time, I will _not_ hesitate to demote you, am I understood?"

Again, Jax looked reluctant to concede, but as Koril stared him down, Jax cast his gaze aside, nodding shortly. "Yes, High Commander."

Koril sighed, feeling his fatigue beginning to get the better of him and lessen his intensity. The strain of the situation had easily agitated him, and his recent injury had only made it worse. Regretting his harshness, he lowered his voice and continued.

"As my cousin, I know you're just looking out for me, and I do appreciate it, but I need to get to the bottom of this. I owe it to Brandalton, to Salastryn, to Paneau...and I have to prove that I'm still able to do this."

Though Jax looked as though he were about to respond, he was interrupted as the Paneau guards stepped into the room with urgency.

"High Commander, message from General Kareu. The sector's subspace relays have all been disabled; we have no outside contact!"

Koril blinked, looking at the guard blankly. "...the _entire_ network?"

The second guard continued. "Admiral Sokol and the Edgepoints engaged an unknown enemy that disabled more than half the squadron. They said it emitted some kind of charged pulse that completely fried all electrical systems in their fighters."

"Where are they now?"

"They destroyed one that was attacking them just beyond Forerove's moon, and once they finish grounding and rescuing the Edgepoints, they'll be returning here."

"Sir," Jax said quietly as he turned to Koril, "your wife left with Admiral Sokol."

Hardly surprised, Koril nodded. "Then she's the one saving the Edgepoints." Sighing, he turned to the guards. "You two remain here with our fallen guards, and I'll send a crew back to retrieve them and take them home. Captain," he said as he returned to Jax, "you're with me. We need to get answers out of Onndo, _now._"

Jax nodded obediently, but as Koril began to leave with him, his fatigue returned aggressively, making him sway. Jax was quick to grip him by the arm, and reading Koril's worn expression, Jax wordlessly pulled Koril's arm over his shoulder, supporting him as they walked. Koril remained silent, too, feeling his energy waning even as they maintained a slow, steady pace. They were only a few blocks from the main complex, but he briefly wondered if he would have the stamina to make it there.

* * *

"They're lucky we weren't disabled, too," Admiral Sokol said quietly. "The remaining fighters wouldn't have had the engine power to make the landings safely."

Elena nodded as she stood from Commander Cal Jax's side, looking down on the Edgepoints' leader. He had fared the worst from the rescue, having been the last to have his fighter towed to the surface of Forerove's moon. Hypothermic and oxygen deprived, he lay unconscious under several blankets with a respirator strapped over his nose and mouth, but at least he was still alive. As Elena looked him over, she sighed, anxious to find out what they were up against.

"Have you spoken with the other Edgepoints, Admiral, to ask them what they saw?"

"Not yet, m'lady."

"Then let's get them together." Nodding again as Demmar medics moved in to tend to Commander Jax, Elena stepped out of the room with Admiral Sokol and several guards, met almost immediately by another group of Paneau Royal Guards. They bowed courteously to her as they approached, and though they were obviously Paneau, their uniforms were slightly different than the other guards she had seen.

"General Alec Kareu, m'lady," the eldest and most decorated introduced himself, "leader of Paneau's Elite Royal Forces. It is an honor to finally meet you."

Recognizing his name and the small but specialized group from discussions she had recently had with Koril, she nodded politely. "Likewise, General."

Kareu continued. "My team and I have been assigned by King Verojec to protect High Commander Rys'tihn, and you, as well, m'lady, if you but ask."

Declining respectfully, she shook her head. "I would much rather your men remain with the High Commander, General Kareu. He has a tendency to...ignore his own safety."

Nodding, Kareu glanced briefly down the hall toward the center's entrance. "We're waiting for him to return. He left with Captain Jax earlier, but he should be getting back from the city soon."

Though she had expected Koril to get back to the investigation, she had hoped he would have taken at least the rest of the day to recuperate. But even before he had lost the ability to feel pain, he constantly pushed himself despite having suffered injuries that should have hindered him. If he couldn't tell that his body was damaged, he would have even less reason to limit himself, and she was beginning to think that his condition was going to have even more troublesome consequences for him than she had originally considered.

The General began to address his guards at his side, but Elena heard a familiar voice at the other end of the corridor, getting her attention. Turning to look, she saw a handful of Paneau guards rushing to help Captain Jax who was struggling to keep Koril standing beside him. Alarmed, she, too, hurried to help, but with the guards' aid, Jax was able to get Koril to a nearby bench, sitting him down on it. More Paneau began pouring into the hall, surrounding their High Commander, but Elena hastily made her way through them, reaching him just as he hunched over, soaking wet from the rain outside and barely able to keep himself sitting up.

"Koril?" she asked anxiously, gently easing his upper body up with her hands at his shoulders. His breathing was slow but deep, and as he raised his head to look at her, she saw the exhaustion in his face. His eyes quickly focused on her, though, and he seemed to become more alert as he looked at her.

"Elena," he breathed with relief, "you're okay."

Still perplexed by his state, she nodded, bringing a hand up to his cheek. "But you're not. What happened?"

"Nothing, I just...got tired..."

Glancing over at Captain Jax for confirmation, she sighed, worried that something else was behind his serious fatigue. "Lay down," she directed him, helping him to bring his legs up onto the bench as she supported him with one arm around his shoulders. She could feel his muscles lightly shaking against her as she lowered him down, but his lack of opposition to her command worried her more. After getting him situated on the bench, she knelt beside him, checking his pulse, and though she wasn't surprised to find it slow, it didn't alleviate her concern.

"We didn't go far, m'lady," Jax explained defensively as water dripped off his face, "just a few blocks away to a market. He was fine until we were on our way back."

She nodded to Jax to calm him, but as she looked back down at Koril, his eyes closed and except for his breathing, he stilled. She brushed his wet hair back from his forehead and called his name repeatedly to rouse him, but he remained motionless. His heart rate was still slow but steady, and even as a few Demmar medics came over to assist, Elena only moved back when Rech stepped through the crowd and knelt at Koril's side, concerned as well.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know," she answered apprehensively, keeping her fingers pressed against Koril's wrist. "He blacked out. Can you help him?"

Without answering, Rech placed his hand at Koril's shoulder and closed his eyes, concentrating for a few tense moments. The accomplished Jedi Healer furrowed his brows as he worked, putting Elena even more on edge until he turned to her and spoke with a slight hint of regret. "I can't find anything specific." He thought for a moment more, looking over Koril briefly, and returned to Elena with sudden insight. "He lost a lot of blood earlier, Elena. He may not have gotten enough back, and now his systems are starving for oxygen, energy..." Again pausing to think, he stood and parted the guards surrounding them, stepping away and returning a minute later with a large cushion from a nearby room. "Here, prop his legs up."

With the guards' help, they elevated Koril's legs over the cushion, and just as Elena had taken up his hand again beside him, he began to move, slowly waking up. Color returned to his face, and once again he focused on her, weakly gripping her hand.

Rech wasted no time, though, looking quickly to the Demmar medics surrounding them. "Is his room still open down the hall?" Getting affirmations, he nodded to the Paneau present. "We need to get him back there to resume his treatment. We can --"

Before he could finish his suggestion, though, the Paneau guards swept in and encircled Koril, carefully but effortlessly lifting the bench as they slowly carried him down the corridor. Elena kept up beside them, monitoring Koril as they went, but the guards were efficient and swift, getting him inside the room without disturbing him much. But Koril was still soaked from having walked outside during Wray's day-long rainstorm, so before the guards moved him to the bed, she stopped them, sending a few to find blankets and spare clothing. They complied, and as Admiral Sokol, Captain Jax and Rech caught up and stepped inside, all three looked relieved to see the Demmar medics already beginning their work, getting Koril hooked up to monitors and IV fluids. Rech's expression didn't last long, though, as he sighed and turned to Elena, keeping his voice low.

"He _needs _rest, Elena. He's not going to get it here."

Though she agreed, she also understood Koril's determination to stay, since she, too, wanted to keep up with the investigation. True to form, Koril had to be in the middle of it all, but as Paneau's Head of Security, he had hundreds if not thousands of officers under him whom he should have chosen to send out in his stead. She nodded, watching as the guards returned with blankets and a dry set of clothes.

"I know. I shouldn't have let him leave."

"I tried to convince him to stay, m'lady," Jax spoke up, again apologetic. "We were supposed to take him home, too, but he refused...adamantly."

Looking to the captain, she nodded, keeping her expression light. "It's okay, Captain. I don't think even I could have convinced him to wait without physically restraining him." After a moment, she gave him a small smile to show her appreciation. "I'm glad you were with him."

Eventually, Jax nodded, too, but the five became silent as the Demmar medics continued to stabilize Koril. He remained conscious as they worked, though, keeping Elena hopeful that he would recover quickly.

* * *

Countless, agonizing hours had passed by, and Mand still didn't feel that she had the energy to move. Her own life force had been drained from her the moment she had felt her child die within her, and nothing, not even Rech's presence could soothe her. Her pain hurt her so deep, she hadn't even been able to cry, and she wondered why she still had the will to breathe. She had never experienced such a void in her soul, and it wore away at her heart until she thought it would stop beating altogether. She hadn't been strong enough to save her child, a pure, innocent life, so why should she, a weak, flawed, unworthy failure be the one to survive?

She knew her silent devastation was even harder for Rech to see, especially since she wouldn't let him comfort her. She refused to accept his assurances through the Force and from his weary but gentle voice because she didn't deserve them. He should be upset with her, he should blame her for her weakness. Because of her, his child was gone, and she could do nothing to remedy it. He should have left her. She needed to bear the pain alone, let it consume her until it hurt no longer...

The moments before the explosions on the landing platform ran through her head again and again, mercilessly reminding her of all that had happened. The deafening, powerful blasts that should have killed her, the casualties that surrounded her because she had failed to evacuate everyone in time, and even the earlier events leading up to the disaster still haunted her. Sitting in the summit hall, listening to the officials drone on had made her even more sick to her stomach that she already had been. Demmar's Onndo in particular had been the worst; it hadn't been what he said, but merely the _sound _of his voice that had twisted her stomach into a knot. He had tried to unnerve her with hostile words, but something else about him disgusted her...

It had to be his voice. She recognized it from somewhere, and it physically pained her to hear his snide comments replay in her memories. But where did she know him from? This was the first time she had been on Demmar, and as far as she knew, Demmar had kept to themselves during Paneau's recent troubles. She definitely would have remembered his overstated clothing, not to mention his self-important gaze he cast upon everyone in his presence, so barring any official Paneau encounters she couldn't remember, that left only...

Realizing his identity, Mand felt her heart skip a beat, and she had to remind herself to breathe. She should have made the connection sooner! No wonder Onndo had gotten to her so easily. She had to tell Koril, the Salastryni, _somebody_...

Finally aware of her surroundings for the first time since waking up, she struggled to focus her eyes as she looked about the room. Aside from an empty chair beside her, her bed was the only piece of furniture. She was alone, but that made it easier for her to leave if no one was paying attention to her. She carefully eased herself out of bed, gingerly testing her wounded body. None of her injuries protested too much as she stood, and even as she tugged her roughened boots on, she felt little pain; Rech must have healed her while she was still numb with shock. She still felt emotionally drained and unable to register her own thoughts, but they had to know. Stepping out into the hall, she began her search for the Paneau in the Demmar medical complex.

* * *

Even as Koril listened to Admiral Sokol's report, he struggled to make sense of it. Though he was in the process of receiving his third blood transfusion and his mind was considerably clearer already, he still felt as though he were locked in a surreal haze. The threat that had menaced his Edgepoints in space seemed almost unreal; what kind of enemy wanted to completely seal off the entire sector with craft-disabling, undetectable sentinels?

"Commander Jax regained consciousness a few minutes ago, and he was able to describe what he saw. It was a small, black, arrow-shaped vessel, roughly half the size of our fighters. He said he wasn't able to get a good view of its propulsion systems, but I imagine something that small wouldn't need much. It was never visible to our sensors, Sir, even as it discharged those pulses."

Nodding to Sokol, Koril glanced to his side where Elena sat, squeezing her hand gently. She had been aboard the _Celestia_ with the Admiral when they were attacked, and he wasn't surprised to learn that she had been behind the rescue efforts to retrieve the Edgepoints. But after thinking about what Sokol had recounted to him of their encounter, he returned to him, curious.

"You said it approached you, Admiral, but only went after the fighters?" Getting a nod from Sokol, he continued. "The _Celestia_ is heavily armored but well armed... Why would it have gone after the weaker fighters first?"

"They may have posed more of a threat. There were more of them, and they were more mobile, Sir," Captain Jax offered, and again, Koril nodded.

"Do you know if there are others?"

General Kareu stepped up beside Sokol, giving his report. "The entire subspace network went down within a matter of minutes, High Commander. One alone could not have done that kind of damage in such a short amount of time. We have to assume that there are at least a hundred of them, if not more."

Getting such grim information, Koril sighed, clenching his jaw as he made his decision. "Admiral...ground the squadrons."

Sokol looked surprised. "...Sir?"

"We can't afford to lose any more fighters, especially when we can't even see the enemy until it's too late."

Still taken aback, Sokol continued. "But that will leave Paneau vulnerable to attack!"

Koril shook his head, though he still vaguely feared the same. "Whoever's behind this has sealed off the entire sector, which means nobody's getting in or out. We need to find out what it is we're dealing with and what they want." Again glancing briefly at Elena, he met her gaze, momentarily thinking back to the Huxnel Invasion almost seven years prior. "Paneau _can_ be defended from the ground, we've learned that well enough... But not from above, not right now. Get them all back home, Admiral, and suggest to Salastryn that they do the same."

Though reluctant, Sokol nodded and stepped aside, contacting his fleet commander to bring the Valors, Concordes, and remaining Edgepoints back to Paneau. General Kareu looked frustrated, as well, but he remained silent, turning to Captain Jax beside him to talk quietly. More curiosity brewed in Koril's mind, though, and again he looked to Elena, keeping his voice low.

"Did you notice anything else about it?"

Confused, she furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

"Could you tell if there was a...a being inside it, piloting it?"

Looking briefly stumped, she turned her gaze away, staring at the floor as she thought. She eventually shook her head as she returned to him, her expression regretful. "I don't know, I wasn't paying attention in that way..." She released a trembling breath, obviously upset with herself. "I should have..."

"It's okay," he reassured her, "it's alright. We'll find out eventually." Seeing her irritation remaining, he squeezed her hand, trying to calm her. "I'm just glad that you weren't..."

But movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he trailed off as he turned to see Mand standing in the doorway. She was visibly shaking, but her expression was almost blank as she locked gazes with him.

"...Mand?"

Everyone present turned to her, too, and as Elena quickly stood and grabbed a spare blanket to wrap around her, Mand never broke her gaze with Koril.

"It was Onndo," she said with a quivering voice, "...we gave him the painting."


	10. Chapter 10

As Elena pulled the blanket tightly around Mand and carefully sat her down in a chair, Koril watched them both with disbelief.

"...Onndo? Onndo's doing this to us?"

Still shaking under Elena's embrace, Mand maintained a neutral expression though she suddenly sounded scared. "We gave it to him. I recognized his voice."

Though sitting beside Mand with her arm snugly around Mand's shoulders to comfort her, Elena felt as confused as the rest. "'We,' who, Mand? What are you --"

But realization stopped her as she pieced it together. Koril had told her earlier of Mand's suspicions of Huxnel involvement and her concern that the weapon from the painting was in their possession. And now that Mand remembered the painting switching hands, the situation was becoming even more complex.

Looking up at Koril, though, Elena could tell from the wary look in his eyes that he wasn't questioning Mand further for fear of his officers learning the truth about her past with the Huxnel. But the Admiral, General, and Captain were some of his most trusted, loyal officials, and if they were going to battle on his behalf to stabilize the sector, they deserved to get the information they needed to be effective leaders. She glanced briefly at Sokol, Kareu, and Jax, then gave Koril an imploring gaze.

"Koril...they _need_ to know."

The three turned expectantly albeit confusedly to Koril, anxious for an explanation. Though briefly hesitant, he nodded, looking to them with a grim expression.

"I want to make this very plain: you are _not_ to repeat what you are about to hear to anyone outside this room. That includes your subordinates, your officers, and anyone on your staffs. It will be at _my_ discretion to whom else this may be disclosed at a later date. Is that clear?"

His officers nodded dutifully, and Koril continued on after a moment, his voice quieter.

"I also want it known," he began as he looked to Mand, "that I trust Mand..._implicitly_. I owe her far more than any debt can repay in one lifetime." Returning to the three, his voice hardened once more. "And now you do, too. You will respect her as you respect me. Am I understood?"

Again, the three agreed, and despite his reluctance, Koril looked to Mand again and nodded, giving her permission to continue. Elena felt Mand's shaking lessen as she continued to hold her, but as she began to speak, she cast her gaze to the floor in front of her, avoiding the stares of the Paneau officers watching her.

"I first stepped foot on Paneau almost seven years ago as a fifteen-year-old...and as a Huxnel agent." She paused briefly, righting her faltering expression to keep going. "I had been one of their stealth operatives since I was very young, trained by a Dark Jedi and raised among them. When they attacked Paneau, I was...tasked with infiltrating the ruling elite, and bringing them down from within in order to make the Invasion easier and to hasten the transition of power after the city fell. But I met Elena, and Queen Tascit...and they both turned me around. Since then, I have been doing _everything_ in my power to help Paneau, to try to make up for the damage I had caused.

"But I failed today... I should have warned you about it earlier." Once more, she began to break down, but Elena again hugged her tightly to reassure her, and regaining her composure, she continued. "Nine years ago, I was part of a group that stole a painting which was rumored to have the schematics for a powerful, ship-disabling weapon embedded within it. In return for the painting...the buyer gave us the intel on Paneau's...unique resource, and we invaded three years later.

"I only ever heard the client's voice, and he was never mentioned by name, but by a code name. I don't know why I didn't realize it sooner... They called him '_kt'sheor_;' it's Cheunh, Chiss language for --"

"'The gaudy one.'"

For the first time since she had begun her explanation, Mand looked up and met Admiral Sokol's gaze as he finished her sentence for her, nodding to him after a brief moment. "We gave the painting to Onndo as payment for the information he gave to us about Paneau."

Expectedly, the entire room endured a long, stunned silence as everyone present struggled to comprehend what the new connection to Paneau's recent troubles meant. Even Elena could hardly believe what Mand had said of Onndo, and trying to think through everything that had happened...

"...are you _sure_?"

Mand looked to Koril and nodded again, swallowing in an effort to control her shaky voice. "I wasn't supposed to overhear their transmissions, but..." she trailed off briefly, her gaze unfocusing as she fell into her memories, "...they trained me well. Believe me: he's just as intolerable now as he was then."

Though he looked vaguely haunted, Admiral Sokol spoke up again, glancing between Mand and Elena. "So that weapon in the painting... That's what attacked us and destroyed the comm relays?"

Mand nodded once more. "Sounds like it was modified for smaller craft."

"Onndo betrayed us all," Kareu began angrily, but Sokol was quick to counter.

"It's not the first time, Alec."

"But I want it to be the _last_."

The gravity in Koril's voice caught Elena briefly off guard, but looking over at him, she could see the sheer determination in his expression as he thought.

"Onndo essentially invited the Huxnel to Paneau," he began thinking aloud, "just so he could get his hands on that painting. He brought serious destruction to our home, and now the entire sector is paying for it, as well. The Huxnel _were_ behind the shuttle explosions, that much is clear: in a nearby alley that lead to the landing platform, Captain Jax and I found our two Paneau guards who had been assigned there but were killed, but not before one of them had grabbed a fistful of Huxnel uniform. They are involved, but these dangerous vessels...could they be controlling them, too?"

Though she was rapidly losing coherence as she sank further into despair, Mand shrugged weakly. "If the majority of the organization has been captured like Onndo said, then these rogues have probably joined together for one common mission, whatever that is."

"They _were _captured, Mand," Elena brought up quietly. "Their Star Destroyers were all detained near the Unknown Regions. Master Kanomin told me just before the relays were disabled."

"Then they're looking for payback," General Kareu answered darkly. Elena quickly looked to him for an explanation, as did the rest of the room. "Think about it," he continued. "They tried to invade twice, and they were foiled twice. Onndo gave them the intel and it never worked, but they knew what kind of defenses we could summon. If even just a few of them got those schematics back from Onndo somehow, they'd want to try again with this new weapon, wouldn't they?"

"But this isn't the whole group, General," Elena buffered. "Surely a small tag team wouldn't be so organized...would they?"

Again looking to Mand, Elena felt her shrug once more. "Depends on the number and caliber of the operatives. They probably do blame us for the rest of them getting captured." Getting unsure expressions from the officers, Mand explained further. "Though the group itself isn't very old, its operatives are...undyingly loyal. They wouldn't just fold because their leaders are incarcerated, they'd find a way to get them back or deal a final blow to their enemy."

Skeptical, Admiral Sokol arched an eyebrow. "You escaped it."

Mand nodded. "I was young, and I already had doubts. It was all I knew, but I never had anything...personal tying me to them. A lot of the operatives saw the New Republic as an enemy, not a liberator, since it was the Empire that had first brought order and stability to their turbulent and impoverished homeworlds. Some officers were even Imperials once themselves. The Huxnel gave them an outlet to fight back."

Still angered, Kareu leveled a calculating gaze at Mand. "Are you saying that they're going to use this entire sector to ransom their group back from the New Republic?"

Though Mand met the General's stare, she said nothing in reply, prompting Elena to intervene. "This is all speculation. We won't know anything for sure until we get answers from Onndo."

Becoming anxious, Koril sat up even straighter in his bed, catching Mand's eyes. "But we can't go directly to Onndo with what we know. He'll get suspicious and want to know how we found out, then pin all the blame on you, Mand. We have to catch him off guard somehow, catch him in a lie."

After a few moments, Mand looked up and nodded strongly. "I'll do it."

But worried about her friend's mental state, Elena shook her head both at Koril and at Mand. "No, Mand, you need to rest, you're not --"

"Strong enough?" Mand bit back harshly, briefly quieting Elena. She shook her head again carefully, hoping to calm Mand.

"I was going to say that you're not allowing yourself to recover properly."

Still, Mand refused to back down. "Who else besides me could point out Huxnel operatives? I can think like they do, and I can speak Onndo's language, too. I'm going."

Realizing that she wasn't going to convince Mand otherwise, Elena nodded reluctantly. "Then I'm going with you."

Again Mand resisted, standing from Elena's embrace and shedding the blanket that had been around her shoulders. "I don't need a babysitter. I'm doing this alone." Stepping to the door, she turned back and looked at each of them, her voice quiet but resolute. "Don't follow me."

Leaving quickly, Mand disappeared into the hall, and as Elena stood to go after her, Koril stopped her.

"Elena..."

Frustrated and troubled, she looked to Koril with a concerned expression. "She's not stable...and she's not even armed."

Koril looked worried, too, but as he glanced at her waist, he sighed resignedly as he nodded. "Yeah, she's not stable, but she _is_ armed."

Unsure what he meant, she followed his line of sight to her belt...where her lightsaber was no longer hanging. Mand had taken it without Elena even realizing it. Getting over her brief shock, she couldn't decide whether to be content with or more worried about Mand wielding a lightsaber in such a volatile state. Though she didn't want Mand to have to face their enemy alone, she agreed with her argument; she just hoped Mand would be able to focus well enough to get through to Onndo...without making their situation worse.

* * *

Jedi Master Amina Kanomin took in a deep breath as she left her meditation, sensing someone approaching her on the _Valiance_'s command deck. Once again feeling the humming vibration of the cruiser's massive bulk under her feet and hearing the subtle whine of the hyperdrive engines echoing through its durasteel structure, she opened her eyes to see Joshua Redgrave standing before her, clad in his New Republic uniform. She smiled kindly up at him from her seat, but he was quick to give his report.

"Master Kanomin, we're less than ten minutes from the Paneau system."

"Very good, Commander," she answered as she stood and stepped closer to forward command. "Have your Rallyes ready in the hangar bay."

Joshua followed her closely as he nodded to a nearby officer to relay the order, but as she watched the ensigns busy at their consoles in front of her, Joshua continued quietly.

"Master, would you mind telling me what exactly my squadron is going up against?"

Looking at him with a cautious expression, she sighed. "Hopefully just a simple equipment malfunction, Mr. Redgrave."

Unconvinced, Joshua turned to her more closely to keep from being overheard. "But you suspect something more malicious, don't you?"

Master Kanomin returned her gaze to the viewport ahead, watching the stars streaking by in flashes of light, and she spoke after a few moments of thought. "It was your droid, Eewon, who brought the New Republic all the intel on the Huxnel that lead to their capture, was it not?"

Joshua blinked, seemingly surprised that she knew. "It was. I was part of a team that turned a Huxnel agent, and he gave us the security codes to program into Eewon so he could access their systems when he found a terminal. The Natiyrs took him with them while they were searching for Koril Rys'tihn among the Huxnel, and they infiltrated an old Huxnel base on Sump... How did you --"

"He's a clever little droid," she interrupted with a small smile. "Where is he now?"

"He's been retired from active duty for several years, but I have him acting as a sentry for my family while I'm gone."

Master Kanomin nodded, momentarily watching the displays that followed their flight path and demonstrated their proximity to Paneau.

"...Master?"

Returning to him, she again sighed lightly. "As admirable of a job as Eewon did, I'm afraid that we were not entirely successful. Not all of the Huxnel operatives were on board those Destroyers when we detained them."

Joshua furrowed his brows, looking even more worried. "They've attacked Paneau?"

"Unknown. That is what we're going to find out, Commander, since it has become apparent that the entire sector has gone dark."

"We should have brought more reinforcements, then! Paneau cannot hold them off on their own!"

But Master Kanomin shook her head calmly. "Relax, Mr. Redgrave. I do not think it is Paneau that they are after. I was conversing with Elena Rys'tihn when the signal was lost, and she had been on Demmar where an attack had targeted the security leaders of the three planets. I think something else is at work here."

Though he hadn't calmed much, an officer sitting in front of them spoke up. "Leaving hyperspace in five seconds."

Looking back up at the viewport, Master Kanomin watched as an asteroid field surrounding a lifeless planet came into focus as they neared the edge of the sector, and even though they found the entire area empty and devoid of any activity, she briefly expected some kind of ambush to greet them out of the dangerous field. It remained tranquil, though, momentarily putting her at ease. The _Valiance_ could safely navigate around the asteroid field as it moved deeper into the sector, but for some reason she felt drawn to it and curious, she gave the helmsman a new order.

"Maintain a slow, steady pace and increase power to the sensors to see through that field. I want to know if there's anything there that we should investigate."

"Yes, Master," the ensign answered obediently as he slowed the massive _Venator-_class cruiser. Tense, silent moments slipped by as all on the bridge watched out the viewport, on edge to spot something, anything out of the ordinary...

"Master Kanomin," a young lieutenant spoke up, "I'm getting a strange reading from the other side of that rock."

With Joshua on her heels behind her, Master Kanomin stepped over to the sensor readout, wanting to examine it herself. As she leaned over him, the lieutenant looked confused as he explained.

"It reads as a dense cloud of...metal, Master, but no heat signature. If it was a ship, it should be broadcasting codes."

"Can we get a closer look?"

The helmsman looked over. "If we go slow enough, we can try."

Glancing briefly at Joshua, Master Kanomin nodded. "Do it."

Again the deck watched quietly as the _Valiance_ gradually turned and began to enter the asteroid field. Its deflector shield protected it well enough as it moved in; they only rocked slightly from minor collisions, but as they approached the uninviting, listless planet and rounded it to see its other half, Master Kanomin could hardly speak fast enough as they met the backside of a Star Destroyer...with visible Huxnel markings on its hull.

"All stop! Increase power to the forward shields! Ready the turbolaser cannons!"

As the crew scrambled to follow her orders, Joshua held his hand out to halt them as he continued to study the Destroyer, seemingly perplexed by it.

"What's the readout, Lt. Vell?"

"It's...dormant, Sir. Looks to be abandoned."

Master Kanomin looked over the Destroyer more carefully, too, and saw what had caught Joshua's attention. Its rear engines were dark and inert, and its hull was missing in random sections, exposing its internal skeleton. But the holes weren't ragged as though the ship had been pierced by turbolasers or other weaponry in an attack; rather, the panels seemed to be precision-cut, carefully removed by someone who valued the Destroyer's armor.

"No internal activity, no shields, no sensor sweeps, no incoming or outgoing transmissions... Main and backup power generators are both disabled, Sir."

Master Kanomin watched carefully. "Any life aboard?"

"Not that our scanners are picking up, Master Kanomin, but they're having a hard time getting through most of its mass. There seems to be some interference deep within the ship."

Still confused, Joshua looked to her briefly. "Why would the Huxnel have abandoned one of their Destroyers out here?"

she shrugged. "It is possible that they merely found it here after the downfall of the Empire and salvaged it for scrap." Still intensely curious about it, though, she turned, eager to join Joshua's Rallyes in the hangar. "I want to see inside that ship. Commander, keep the --"

Stopping mid-sentence and mid-stride, she wasn't quite sure what she was seeing out the side viewport. A strange black haze was rapidly approaching the _Valiance_ and the Huxnel Destroyer from the surrounding asteroid field, but she couldn't identify it. Seeing it, too, Joshua looked to his officers.

"Lt. Vell?"

"The sensors having a hard time making something of it... There's a large heat signature, but it's not coming from any single source. The whole cloud is emitting it, like it's a..."

"A swarm of ships," Joshua finished for him just as hundreds of small, identical vessels zipped over the command deck. Briefly stunned, he recovered and returned to the lieutenant. "Shields!"

"Forward deflector at maximum power, Sir."

But even as the anxious moments passed, the small ships sailed effortlessly over the _Valiance_ without any signs of aggression or change in behavior, and they peacefully disappeared into the Destroyer through its open hangar on its underside.

Unsure what she had just witnessed, Master Kanomin watched the Destroyer intensely, halfway expecting it to spring back to life at any moment. When it remained silent, though, she looked to Joshua who also sported a haunted expression. Before either could formulate words, another officer spoke up with a report.

"I'm picking up an outgoing transmission from the Destroyer, Sir. It's encrypted, looks like Huxnel signature."

Joshua looked back to Master Kanomin. "They must be warning the other operatives."

She nodded, and thinking quickly, she stepped over to the comm officer, again meeting Joshua's gaze across the deck. "You said your droid was at your home. Is he still programmed with the Huxnel codes?"

Joshua nodded, too, but confused, he continued to look to her for an explanation.

"We have to warn Paneau about what we've found," she added quietly, "and that more danger may be on the way. And we're going to use the Huxnel Destroyer's transmitter to do it."


	11. Chapter 11

It wasn't hard to figure out where Onndo had taken up shelter in Wray. In the center of the city a few blocks from the complex where the summit had been relocated, it looked like an entire regiment of Demmar troops had formed a perimeter guard around a small but well-fortified building. There was only one entrance in the front that Mand could see as she carefully observed from the empty street, but almost twenty Demmar guards lined the walkway around it. Even in the incessant, drenching rain, they kept a constant vigil yet made an easy target of their First Regent in the vacant city. Only a few windows interrupted the bland, textureless walls, and she could see a pair of Demmar guards peering out from each. But as thorough as the Demmar seemed to be, they couldn't have gotten to everything; there had to be an approach they hadn't secured yet...

Though she hadn't intended to, she had almost completely reverted to her former self, the meticulous, lethal operative she had been trained to become under the Huxnel. She was constantly calculating her tactics, using the Force to hide herself from observers, shutting out any other feeling or emotion that would get in the way of her mission... She was focused, driven like she hadn't been in years. Even as she faced her father to rescue her husband over a year ago, she had every emotion running through her, clouding her mind, and she was only just able to hold onto enough focus to defeat Morden when she decided it was the only way. But as she stared at the building that housed Demmar's First Regent Onndo, her motivation was clear; he was going to pay for his betrayal.

The surrounding structures were similarly built, and one next door was just slightly taller, making the first accessible from above. But even against the mud-colored, dreary sky that easily camouflaged the rooftops, she caught a brief glimpse of a figure moving about atop the guarded building. Was it a Demmar patrol...or a Huxnel operative who had decided on the roof as the best access point, just as she had?

Needing to act quickly, she turned and gripped the edges of her cloak, swiftly making her way across the sludge-filled street. She was careful to step lightly, reducing the noise her boots made as they splashed through the mud, and able to avoid attracting attention as she disappeared into an alley between the nearby towers, she paused briefly to listen. She couldn't hear any movement or anyone in pursuit, but the steady rain disguised most noise anyway. With her senses on edge, she turned to find a sturdy but muddied staircase leading up the tower's back side. Several shoe prints lead up the stairs, dripping mud through the grating to the alley below; someone had taken the same route just minutes before.

Reaching out with the Force, she could sense many, many beings inside the nearby buildings, presumably taking shelter from the attack that had happened hours prior. But the two she had seen on the nearby roof definitely had malicious intent...and both were strangely familiar.

Hastening her pace but stepping as quietly as possible, she reached the top of the stairs and carefully peered over the edge. She could see to the other building's ledges, as well, but whoever she had seen earlier had disappeared. Had they heard her approaching? Wary but anxious for answers, she stepped up onto the roof, looking for places where they could have hidden. Seeing nothing that would shelter them, though, she closed in on the guarded building cautiously, crouching to remain unseen from the street. Soaking wet from the persistent rain, she could feel her cloak dragging behind her, weighing her down. She tugged off her hood, and as she began to until it from around her neck, she strangely began to tighten it instead, constricting her throat...

Shaking her head, she cleared her thoughts, baffled as to why she was trying to choke herself. Perhaps her grief was eating at her subconscious, taking advantage of her mind as she briefly drifted in thought. But she hadn't been that distracted, had she? Still confused and slightly haunted, she untied the cloak and dropped it, preparing herself to make the leap across the gap to the next building.

Before she set her feet, though, she heard a strange noise in the sky above her. It was subtly masked by the rainstorm overhead, but it was unmistakable, and it was getting closer...

Ion engines, but...different.

Looking up just as the sound passed overhead, she saw the outline of two arrow-shaped ships fly over her, hidden in the clouds but briefly illuminated by a flash of lightning. She followed the sound as they left, and as she watched, the two descended from the clouds over what looked to be Wray's main power grid a dozen kilometers away at the city's outskirts. Another bright flash lit up the stormy sky, but it seemed to emanate from the ships themselves, not the storm. As she realized what they had done, the entire city went dark and the ships left just as quickly as they had appeared, silencing the streets in a strange, eerie stillness. Recovering from her momentary distraction, she harnessed the Force and swiftly made the jump across the gap, gracefully and quietly landing atop the next building.

Still without seeing or hearing anyone around, she came across a sealed hatch that led down into the building. She reached out with the Force and found its manual lock, pulling it loose and sweeping its panels open with an effortless flick of her hand. It revealed another staircase, but hoping to keep her entrance a secret, she carefully climbed inside, closing the panels behind her and sealing herself in the darkness.

* * *

"I don't know, Admiral," Elena countered as she discussed their next course of action with Sokol, Captain Jax, and Koril. "I don't think we should risk sending such a sensitive message, especially if we're not sure who's listening. We don't know what's happened elsewhere."

Sokol was undeterred. "Which is exactly why we need to send out scouts, as well. High Commander?"

As they both looked to Koril, he released a long breath in thought. "Sokol's right, Elena," he answered after a moment. "Without any communication, we're sitting targets. The _Celestia_'s comm system might be strong enough to reach the king. Admiral, get with Salastryn's General Magri, see if he can lend some support. I'm sure they'd like to contact their Prime Minister, as well."

Sokol nodded and saluted as he left, passing Capt. Jax, who remained concerned.

"Sir, the _Celestia_ is vulnerable to attack from those vessels."

Koril furrowed his brows, unsure of the basis for Jax's worry. "I'm not leaving Demmar aboard her right now, Captain. But," he paused as he began to stand from his bed, "we _are_ going to leave Wray."

"Sir?"

Though Jax, too, moved to help Koril as he stood, Elena was closer and quickly wrapped an arm around his waist to support him. He was much stronger than he had been earlier, she could tell, but his body was still recovering from the injuries he had suffered in the explosions earlier. Though he protested, she pulled his arm around her shoulders to steady him even more, and finally standing well, he looked to Jax.

"We shouldn't have stayed here as long as we have. I don't care what else happens to me; we need to stay mobile."

"On a positive note, High Commander, you _were_ hard to find."

As Elena slowly turned to the door with Koril to the familiar voice, she saw Milowi Jax stepping into the room. The young woman had for many years been a kitchen hand in the Rys'tihn Manor, but during a surprise attack by the Huxnel almost a year ago, she revealed herself as a covert agent, an operative of the Rys'tihn Ghost Heirs. Sworn to protect the Known Heirs by any means necessary, she had been caught in a cloud of coma gas while following the Huxnel agents into Elena and Koril's bedroom. To remove suspicion from herself, she told Elena about her true occupation, which the Royal Guards of the Manor confirmed. Milowi then went on to help Elena rescue her friend Kihara Marelleck and the Rys'tihn Master Ghost Heir Cade Rys'tihn, both of whom had been wounded in a firefight with more Huxnel. Though Milowi had proven her skills as a covert agent, she had been removed from duty within the Manor, since her identity had been compromised, and she hadn't been seen since. But she apparently hadn't gone far for her new post...

"Milowi," Elena greeted her kindly with an appreciative nod. Capt. Jax looked surprised, as though he knew her, too, but wasn't expecting to see her. Though Elena was curious, she decided to ask later, instead anxious to hear what Milowi had to say.

"When we lost communications, I was sent to find you, High Commander. I'm glad to see the Elite Guard are still here with you."

"Can't seem to get rid of them," Koril answered in a light tone. Capt. Jax arched his eyebrows in slight agitation as Milowi continued.

"Unfortunately, they make you a target, Sir. You were right; you need to stay on the move."

Though Elena agreed, she had other thoughts on her mind. "What's happening out there, Milowi? Is King Verojec safe?"

Milowi nodded confidently to her, putting her at ease. "Paneau hasn't been touched, and yes, the king is safe. His Scepter Guard has doubled up, so he is well protected. As to what's happening, we're not yet sure. We got a message from Eewon, the Redgraves' astromech, but we can't find anything that's able to decipher it."

Thinking for a moment, Koril glanced at Elena before looking back to Milowi. "Do you have it with you?"

"Yes, High Commander."

Nodding, Koril continued. "Kaydee spent a lot of time with Eewon a few months ago. She may have picked up a few things from him." He again looked to Elena briefly for confirmation, and getting a nod from her, he returned to Milowi and Capt. Jax and directed them out of the room. "She's aboard the _Celestia_, and we were already on our way there."

With his blaster drawn at his side, Capt. Jax watched as Milowi left first, leading Elena and Koril from the room. He followed after them closely, paying careful attention to the busy medical center around them as they went. The remaining Elite Guard took up stride behind Capt. Jax at his silent command, but he continued to monitor their surroundings. His attentiveness allowed Elena to concentrate almost exclusively on Koril as she supported him on their way, intently observing him. He seemed to be keeping up with their pace well enough, but she knew how effectively he could hide his fatigue until the last possible moment...

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked him quietly, and he answered with the same volume, sounding tired.

"I'm _fine_, Elena."

His tone was more frustrated than it had been before, but she knew why. His lingering injuries and constant the almost medical attention he didn't feel that he needed irritated him, especially in the midst of such distressing circumstances. There was nothing he hated more than being removed from total participation in Paneau's affairs, but with communications disabled by those mysterious ships, he couldn't even coordinate their security forces to combat the threat. She knew how poorly he tolerated being useless, and she, too, was beginning to feel angered by their ineffectual position. She wanted to take a more active role, as well, but how could they when they had no idea who or what they were fighting?

"I'm sorry," Koril whispered after a moment, but Elena immediately shook her head, responding just as softly.

"You don't have to apologize. I know you're tired and upset. We all are."

Though he still looked bothered by his short-tempered reply, he released a long breath and nodded. She began to feel his posture sagging as they continued on, prompting her to hold him more tightly around his back and to place her opposite hand at his chest to aid his balance. As he caught her gaze, she could see the slightest smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he brought his hand up to hold hers against him. It was a tender moment they hadn't yet shared since the fiasco had begun, and though she knew it could only be short-lived, she enjoyed it as much as possible, gripping his hand tightly as he leaned into her slightly to give her a tender kiss at her temple.

"That doesn't give me an excuse," he continued quietly. "I feel good, all things considered. Those last transfusions helped a lot."

"Good," she said with a small smile. "Hopefully they'll last this time."

Though he began to answer, all movement stopped as the entire medical center went dark. The Elite Guard quickly formed a tight circle around Elena and Koril, but unable to see anything, they bumped into each other, causing even more confusion. At her side, she felt Koril tighten his grip around her shoulders and her hand, but it wasn't until she heard the fear in his voice that she understood what he thought had happened.

"...Elena?"

"The power went out, you're okay." She continued to hold him closely, reassuring him until Milowi stepped toward them with a glowrod shining at her side, illuminating only a minimal portion of the hall. A few small light sources began to power up around them, as well, as others sought portable torches not bound to the building's power grid, but the expansiveness of the medical center easily swallowed the available light and reduced visibility to nothing but moving shadows. Even more on edge, Milowi handed her glowrod to Capt. Jax and grasped Elena's arm firmly, hurriedly ushering her and Koril along while the rest of the Elite Guard kept on their heels. Capt. Jax took the lead in Milowi's place, and even though they made it to the exit without any further issues, as most of the center's patrons were just as confused and alarmed as they were, he kept his blaster raised in anticipation of an attack.

Taking a brief moment to survey the area before they ventured out, both Milowi and Capt. Jax split up the Elite Guard to provide cover as they made the few blocks' trek to the city's main hangar where the _Celestia_ sat. It was obvious to Elena that the two had worked together at least once before, and she was glad that they were so easily and efficiently able to direct their guards, freeing herself from the responsibility and more importantly, sparing Koril the added stress. He wasn't unused to tense situations, she knew, but she wanted him to save his energy for more important tasks she was sure were to come later.

Once again making their way through the rain, the group finally arrived at the hangar to find it in disorder, as well. Demmar guards were desperately attempting to direct frightened citizens away outside the disabled main doors, though plenty were forcing their way inside and a handful of personal ships were rapidly leaving the city. The hangar's power was gone, too, Elena noticed just as she looked to the surrounding buildings which were also no longer lit up.

"The whole city's gone dark," she said aloud as a strange sound hummed in the clouds overhead, getting the attention of everyone outside the hangar. The sound seemed to hover just above them briefly, then in one swift movement, a dark, arrow-shaped craft dove down out of the clouds and swooped over the hangar, emitting a bright pulse of energy that struck and completely disabled an escaping ship. Instantly, the ship fell from the sky, hitting and damaging another as it tumbled. Both landed in a loud, resounding explosion in the middle of the street just in front of the hangar.

Without any time to escape the fiery cloud, the group crouched against the hangar's wall, covering their heads as debris showered them from all directions. Before Elena could stop him, Koril put himself between her and the explosion, protecting her until the smoke cleared. As they all stood in a shocked stupor and turned to look at the smoldering wreckage, Elena quickly looked over Koril, afraid he had been injured by the debris and couldn't tell. But he shook his head to dissuade her concern, instead turning his attention to the sky as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She could no longer hear the attacking ship's engines, replaced by the pounding thud of her own heartbeat in her ears.

"I think that's what attacked and disabled the Edgepoints at the sector's edge."

Koril nodded, but as he looked back at her, his gaze shifted to the ground behind her in alarm. "Captain?"

Focused on Koril, Elena hadn't noticed that neither Capt. Jax nor Milowi had stood back up with the rest of the group after the debris settled. Turning to look, she saw Capt. Jax kneeling on the ground, cradling an injured Milowi in his arms. With a long, jagged gash across her temple, Milowi seemed to be struggling to stay conscious, but she was at least able to speak.

"I'm alright, Aurin," she said weakly, but unconvinced, Capt. Jax carefully scooped her up, anxious to get her out of the rain. With his Elite Guards close in tow, Koril led them all into the hangar through its main entryway, easily passing the distracted Demmar guards. The _Celestia_ was one of few vessels left in the large hangar, but the guards that had been left in charge of its keep saw the group approaching and responded quickly, lowering the rear ramp as they neared.

"We only have limited medical supplies," Koril said as they climbed aboard, "but I think we can help her." As he took Capt. Jax to one of the smaller rooms on the upper level, Elena stopped at a storage cabinet and pulled out some spare blankets, handing them to a guard to take to Milowi. On her way to another supply room, she met Kaydee in the corridor, almost running into the droid.

"Mistress Elena! Thank goodness you're alright! I heard such an awful noise outside--"

"I'll explain later, Kaydee," she interrupted the droid as she continued on down the hall, "but right now we need your help. Our friend Milowi has an encrypted message that we need you to work on."

Though Kaydee lagged behind, she finally caught up to Elena as she rummaged through the shelves for bacta. "An encrypted message? Well, I will certainly try, Mistress Elena, but I must confess, I am not very good with encryption algorithms. Now, find me a complex, previously undiscovered language, and I would love to --"

"It's a transmission from Eewon. You two talked a lot while we traveled, remember?"

"Of course, Mistress Elena. That little droid was so very friendly and--"

"Come on," Elena ordered as she grabbed another canister of bacta and some bandages. "Follow me."

Kaydee obeyed, keeping up as Elena made her way through the _Celestia_ up to the room, nearly having to elbow her way through the Elite Guard that stood around the doorway. Capt. Jax sat worriedly at Milowi's side, but he relaxed as Elena brought in the bacta, eager to treat her himself.

"Really, Aurin, I'm okay," she tried again to deflect his concern, but he immediately began to treat her wound, gingerly applying a bacta-soaked bandage to her temple.

"Just relax, Milowi," Koril reassured her, standing behind Capt. Jax, "we'll take care of you."

Though she winced as Capt. Jax pressed the bandage to her skin, she pulled her hand out from under her blankets, holding up a small communicator.

"Here, this has the transmission on it."

Nodding his thanks, Koril took the communicator, stepping over to Elena and Kaydee with it. "Ready, Kaydee?"

"Yes, Master Koril."

Pressing a button, Koril began the playback, and they all listened intently to a series of incomprehensible static and intermittent screeching, though it only took Kaydee a few seconds to respond.

"Oh, dear," she began uneasily, "...this is most distressing."

"What is it, Kaydee?"

"Well, Master Koril, I am afraid that while I do recognize the encryption, I do not possess the capabilities to decipher it."

"What do you recognize about it?"

"Oh, it is most definitely a Huxnel code."

Surprised, Elena exchanged a worried look with Koril, but Kaydee continued after a moment. "Master Koril, might I suggest you try running the message through this ship's computer?"

Confused, Koril furrowed his brows. "Why would the _Celestia_ know Huxnel code?"

"It is just a suggestion, and I am not entirely sure that it will work, but Eewon did often talk about some kind of mission he had that involved gathering sensitive information about the Huxnel. I remember him once saying, or bragging, really, that he could trick the Huxnel into thinking that the _Celestia_ was another one of their own ships by remotely manipulating their sensors if we were to accidentally run into them while we were searching for you. It may have just been a silly game of his, Sir, but he did seem to know a great deal about them."

"And he put that information into the _Celestia_'s computer?"

"Yes, I do believe so, Master Koril."

Though still a bit skeptical, Koril stepped over to a small console against the wall and plugged in the communicator. After a few minutes of working hunched over the desk, he straightened as a crisp, clear message sounded from it.

"This is Jedi Master Amina Kanomin, arriving from Coruscant aboard the _Valiance_ with Commander Joshua Redgrave and his Rallye Squadron. I am sending this message via Huxnel channels in hopes of reaching E1-33 to warn the inhabitants of this sector: a disabled Huxnel Star Destroyer sits among the asteroid field at the sector's edge, and it is housing an armada of around a thousand small ships. We will attempt to investigate, but be advised...invasion may be imminent. Prepare your forces."


	12. Chapter 12

Completely encased in darkness, Mand relied heavily on the Force to guide her through the building. She could sense doors and hallways as she passed them, but they led to empty rooms, and she was searching for just one person...

Making her way through what seemed like a maze, she finally sensed someone nearby. The Force took her into a large, open room where even her careful footsteps echoed, but still no light reached its walls. An odd sound stopped her midstep, though, freezing her breath in her chest as she stood perfectly motionless to listen intently. The person she sensed was against the room's opposite wall, but again hearing the sound...she realized it was a pained whimper.

Needing to see her surroundings, Mand pulled Elena's lightsaber off her belt and clicked it on as she held it beside her, washing the room in a diffuse purple glow with its soft hum. Just as she had sensed, the room was mostly empty, except for a crumpled heap of a person on the floor against the wall. A startled, scared moan escaped the other with the sudden light and noise, but nothing else, even as Mand slowly approached. Bringing the lightsaber blade in front of her, she looked down on a young woman she recognized as Sado Qi, one of Onndo's officials that had been at the summit on Salastryn. Sado's eyes were wide and terrified as she watched Mand, and the longer Mand held her gaze, the more she began to feel her vendetta dissipating as she realized that Sado had been assaulted and was struggling to breathe; the sounds she had heard earlier were from Sado as she gasped.

Mand quickly knelt beside her, keeping the lightsaber ignited at her side for light as she looked her over, unsure what was ailing her. But Sado withdrew from her in fear, worsening her pain and prompting Mand to speak quietly to calm her.

"Sado, do you remember me from the summit? My name is Mand, I'm from Paneau..."

Visibly shaking, Sado nodded after a few moments, though she still looked scared.

"I'm a Jedi, I can help you. Just try to relax, okay?"

Again, Sado nodded, but as Mand brought her hand up to the young woman's throat where bruises had already surfaced from her attack, she pulled her arms up in reflexive defense, still afraid for her life.

"Sado, it's okay. I'm trying to open your airway, and I won't touch you, alright?"

Traumatized but getting desperate for a proper breath, Sado shut her eyes tightly, streaming tears across her face. Moved with compassion, Mand closed her eyes, too, as she concentrated, drawing on the Force to soothe Sado's injuries and reopen her crushed throat. Even though she knew she didn't have the finesse of Rech's skills, it still took her longer than she thought, but after a couple of tense minutes, she finally heard Sado's pained but substantial breaths that quickly evolved into sobs of relief. Though she was glad to provide Sado with the help she needed, Mand needed to calm her to get answers.

"You'll be okay, Sado," she soothed. "Tell me what happened to you."

Taking in another series of deep breaths as though she didn't believe she had been healed, Sado finally settled down enough to speak, her voice rough and trembling in overwhelming anxiety. "The First Regent sent me here...to wait for Second Regent Edlu. A few minutes later, it went dark, and I couldn't get anything to work. Even my commlink was useless... I couldn't reach anyone. I heard the door open, but I couldn't see anything... I... I called out, but no one answered, then...then something hit me in the head...hard... I fell down, but I was still awake..." Sado trailed off, too upset to continue. With her free hand, Mand gently held Sado's, offering silent support to quiet her.

"I felt...a hand around my neck, choking me...but it stopped, and I heard someone leave... But I never saw anything or anyone, until you came in..."

Confused by her story, Mand squeezed her hand again to comfort her as she thought. Why was Sado attacked? Was she intentionally left alive, or had her attacker been scared away from completing his task? Thinking back, Mand remembered that Sado had already looked scared as she sat beside Onndo during the initial summit proceedings. Had she been targeted for something she wasn't supposed to know? After everything that Onndo had seemingly orchestrated, removing his associates whom he no longer had need for wasn't out of his reach.

Feeling her anger returning, Mand sighed and looked back down at Sado. "You'll be okay now," she began, but preventing her from continuing, Sado gripped Mand's arm with tremendous strength, still looking as scared as she had been before.

"Don't leave me, _please_," she pleaded desperately, surprising Mand with her intensity. Pitying her, though, Mand nodded after a moment, hoping to calm her.

"Okay...okay, we'll leave together."

Though only briefly pacifying Sado, Mand took a moment to think, wondering how it would be best to get them both out of the building. She couldn't trust the Demmar guards, especially if Onndo was controlling them, but taking Sado the same route Mand had come in would probably prove more difficult that it was worth, and injuring Sado further wouldn't help. Still, a roof exit would afford them a certain degree of anonymity; even if someone did see them leaving, the weather would disguise them long enough for them to escape.

Interrupting her thoughts, Mand felt several presences approaching them, including the ones she had recognized on the roof earlier. Before she could get Sado to stand up to leave, the room's door was pulled open as a bright, blinding light shined through it, briefly blocked as five people stepped inside. The light was finally moved, too, splitting into four separate glowrods that easily lit up the large room. With her eyes still adjusting to the brightness, Mand stood, turning to face the others with the lightsaber's purple blade still ignited in her hand.

"That doesn't belong to you," a young man said with a curiously amused grin. He stood in front of the others, dressed markedly different from them. Mand recognized the other four as Huxnel, and two she knew well: Grexl, a tan-skinned Twi'lek explosives expert with a cybernetic left arm and eye, and Torrit, an old Arkanian mechanical genius. Both of them had been part of the team that acquired the painting nine years ago with Horatio and her, but even though they wore the same grubby jumpsuits she had once worn, as well, she had never seen the others before.

The man who had spoken earlier was still grinning at her, clad in a fine, dark suit that contrasted greatly with his bright, fire red hair and gray eyes. Roughly her same age, he had an air of a distant charm to him, but it was immediately stifled by a look of dark madness in his eyes. He seemed almost excited to be standing in front of her, and unsure of his intentions, Mand only gripped the saber more tightly as she stood over Sado protectively.

"Last I heard, Cyrix's orange blade was responsible for old man Tarthos' death. That was your doing, wasn't it? Clever of you to leave the weapon behind. Orange was never your color, anyway, but that purple isn't, either."

Perplexed at the mention of her old Master by a complete stranger, Mand watched him closely with her senses on edge. "Who are you?"

The man laughed as if Mand had told him a lighthearted joke, but his expression neutralized the longer he looked at her, tilting his head slightly to the side. "...you really have no idea, do you?" He laughed again, thinking briefly on how to word his answer. "I am...your successor."

Before Mand could muster a response, he casually continued. "Unfortunately, I never quite lived up to your...legend. You left a huge role for me to fill; Azira never let me forget it. But I did well enough. I was even somehow able to convince the Admirals to leave you alone. After you left, they wanted nothing more than to hunt you down and have you executed, but...after some persuasion, I reminded them that you could still be useful since you hadn't compromised them...until now."

His expression suddenly darkened, but it took Mand a moment more to realize what he was implying. Still confused but curious what else the man was willing to divulge, she countered calmly. "I had nothing to do with that. I didn't even know they had been captured until a few hours ago."

He nodded, studying her features intently. "They said you were one of their best infiltrators. I see that skill also extended to phenomenal lying."

Mand narrowed her eyes, wrenching her grip on the saber in front of her even more. "I'm not lying. Except for when they attacked Paneau and hurt my friends, I have had no contact with anything Huxnel."

Amused again for some reason, he grinned. "And I suppose your old codes just happened to be used to access an abandoned base on Sump."

Surprised, Mand blinked. She hadn't entered any codes while they explored the Sump base searching for clues that could lead them to Koril... In fact, she had fallen from the crumbling staircase leading down into the base, unconscious and seriously injured before they had even gotten to any control consoles. Eewon had been the only one to access anything, working the airlock and later claiming to have downloaded important information on the Huxnel from the base, but...it had been false intel, planted to trap anyone snooping around, hadn't it? How could Eewon have had her codes? And surely the Huxnel would have removed any trace of her from their systems so she couldn't return and cause them trouble; they were smarter than that. Unless...

Thinking back, a lot of strange events recently seemed to lead back to two culprits: the Redgraves' astromech Eewon...and Horatio. The odd little droid had disappeared from Agamar the same time Horatio had after he had taken Koril's antidote and shut down Kaydee aboard the _Celestia_. Eewon wouldn't have gone with Horatio willingly...but he returned mysteriously within a few days, saying he had completed his "mission," though he never elaborated on it. As Mand calculated quickly, she realized that the timing fit: the Huxnel would have been detained no less than a week later, which gave the New Republic plenty of time to sort through the information from Eewon and organize a successful attack... A terrible feeling settled in the pit of her stomach; Eewon must really have had the information he said he did, and she had immediately dismissed it, possibly preventing them from finding Koril until it was almost too late.

But Horatio's involvement was impossible to figure out. They had been partners for four years under the Huxnel, so not only did he know all of her codes, but they had many they shared, identifying them as a team. Any reports they sent back to a base had to contain their joint codes to be valid while they worked certain sensitive jobs. Only their immediate mission commander would know the sequence; anyone else, even the Admirals, would think it an errant message of no importance. Horatio had remained a Huxnel operative after she left, and he would have been one of the only two other people who knew her codes. So...he had framed her? He had given Eewon their joint codes to get the information on the Huxnel to bring them down?

Narrowing her eyes again, Mand lowered her voice, too, angry at Horatio's hand in her troubles once more.

"Those weren't just my codes. You can't blame me for this."

"Oh? Then who _is_ to blame, then?"

Sensing a bargaining tool, she leveled a dark look at him. "If I tell you that, you'll tell me what it is that you want with this sector."

The man released a hearty laugh once again, genuinely amused. "You think we want anything to do with this worthless, pathetic region?" Looking to the four standing beside him, he shrugged. "Apparently, we didn't put on the right show." Returning to Mand still grinning, he rolled his eyes. "No, no... This was merely a test, a...warm-up, if you will. We have much more important business elsewhere. Casin," he said as he glanced back to one of the Huxnel, "bring in our friend, _kt'sheor_."

Feeling her breath freeze in her chest, Mand watched as Casin left and returned a few moments later, dragging a brutalized, half-conscious Onndo into the room by his bound wrists. The First Regent seemed to be struggling weakly against his restraints, but hardly coherent, his efforts were barely coordinated. Casin easily kept him subdued, and as the other continued, Mand couldn't take her eyes off Onndo, conflicted. Though it would be difficult, she could escape with Sado...but could she reconcile leaving Onndo to their mercy, despite his fault in their situation and her own devastating loss?

"We were so excited when Onndo here invited us back to work for him again. Even though his payment for...acquiring the painting in the first place unfortunately did not lead to our successful invasion of Paneau, we decided not to fault him for it, since it was your involvement, Mrs. Natiyr, that turned the tide of the battle. No, we saw an even greater opportunity in his second soliciting: he wanted our...manpower and expertise to craft a highly-specialized armada for him, composed of vessels armed with the very weapon you gave him all those years ago.

"Now, I can only guess what he intended to do with them, but without paying us for our services, he wasn't going to be getting anything. We returned to reclaim our handiwork, only to discover a few days later that our commanders and their Star Destroyers had been detained. So, I thought to myself, what better way to make a return on our investment...than to use our own brilliant creations to liberate our leaders?"

Mand stared at him blankly. All the destruction...all the injuries, chaos, and panic throughout the entire sector was just these Huxnel fugitives testing the power they could exert over anyone standing in their way? And they were planning to take their forces to Coruscant, where the agile, dangerous, and undetectable ships could wreak havoc on the city-planet before the New Republic could mobilize any kind of counterattack. Could _anyone_ fight back? There had to be a way...

Still slumped on the floor, Onndo began to show signs of increasing awareness of his situation, and finally opening his eyes to see Mand in front of him, he began to speak in a panic. "I never...I never meant any harm to come to Paneau... I thought they...were going to buy the minerals...and the ships...were for protection..."

Though she was unsure what Onndo meant, Casin silenced him with a quick strike across the face, returning him to a semi-conscious state. A brief unreadable look filtered through the leader's expression, but he swiftly righted it as he returned to Mand, brandishing a pleasant smile.

"As I said before, Mrs. Natiyr," he continued casually, "you were once this group's most prized operative. They trained you to be...absolutely unstoppable. And truly, nothing you've yet come up against has hindered you in the slightest, not even your father. Face it: you are at your best when the situation is the most dire; you need _this_ life, not one sitting around playing nanny to some messy brats. You know your true place is with us... You knew nothing different for fifteen years."

In disgusted disbelief, Mand could hardly form a response. "You...want me to help you...after everything you've done to my friends, to my home?"

But he went on eagerly without even acknowledging her question. "Return to us, and no one will be able to stop us. Your father could have only dreamed of this kind of power, and as his sole surviving heir, you deserve what he never had - complete control of the Huxnel."

Again Mand stared blankly, dumbfounded by his proposal. How could he, how dare he... She wanted nothing more than to see the Huxnel pay for the damage they had caused all over the galaxy, and she still carried the burden of guilt from the terrible things she had done at their command. Returning to such a petty, meaningless existence was the very last thing on her agenda.

Though agitated, she could feel a warning in the back of her mind, telling her to be ready to leave when an opportunity presented itself. Focused by it, she matched his gaze levelly, keeping her voice strong.

"If you know me so well, you already know that my father had me kidnapped and tortured for four years. He killed my mother and my sister, my only relatives who actually cared about me. He was a vile, despicable person, and I want _nothing_ to do with him or with anything he did. You Huxnel are just cowardly, wretched pirates who will never amount to anything, and I will _never_ affiliate myself with such criminals. Like you said," she concluded with a challenging gaze, "...you can't stop me."

The leader's eye briefly twitched in angered disappointment, but he recovered quickly, giving a short nod to the Huxnel beside him. They left, dragging Onndo and the remaining light with them.

"That's not the answer I was hoping to hear. You're passing up on an opportunity to be the champion that you were trained to be, what you were destined to become. So I suppose you're right; I can't stop you...but I can do my best to slow you down."

In a blur of purple-washed motion, the man swung his arm as he ignited his own red-bladed lightsaber, meeting Mand's blade with a loud cracking hiss. She was just able to stand her ground as she absorbed the blow, but concerned for Sado's safety, Mand threw a powerful Force Push at him, catching him briefly off guard and sending him backward to the floor.

"Sado, get up and get to the roof," Mand ordered quickly, meeting the man's next attack with her own strong swing. Thankfully he ignored Sado as she escaped through a door behind her, but he brought his blade down even harder. Distracted, Mand could only deflect it minimally, and she felt the furious burning as it seared the skin of her upper arm, exposing muscle. The next succession of blows he dealt were still difficult to parry, forcing Mand to backpedal to the wall. Seeing a brief opening in his attacks, she lunged at him, but only pierced air beside him. For her trouble, he elbowed her across the face, sending her staggering to the floor in blinding pain.

But she couldn't linger for long. Rolling away from his following strike, she made a strong swing upward, but again she missed. Even in the room's darkness illuminated only by the light of their blades, he fought her fiercely, and she thought she would never be able to regain her footing, having to constantly dodge him. He seemed to be a step ahead of her with every block she made, as though he knew exactly how she was going to move, or at least, he was very familiar with her fighting style...

She couldn't let him best her, though. Focusing herself, she opened up her movements to the influence of the Force, allowing it to guide her blade and enhance her defense. With her concentrated effort, she began to gain ground on him, putting him back on his heels instead. Within several swings and parries in a matter of seconds, she had him frantically defending himself, completely turning the momentum to her favor. Sensing his impending defeat, though, he whirled away and extended his hand at her, wrapping an invisible hand around her throat to choke her.

Feeling a deadening pressure in her mind at the same time, she gasped in surprise. It was a familiar feeling...one she had felt for four years under her captor Tzan Kaeloth. But a new facet of control took hold of her as her own free hand rose up on its independent will and gripped around her neck, closing her airway even more...and she couldn't stop it. Her feet left the ground, and dangling in the air, she somehow managed to speak.

"Who..._are _you?"

Still with his hand outstretched, he grinned with impish malevolence as he tightened his hold.

"Lucien Darkmyre. I studied under Tzan Kaeloth, the Dark Lord who trained your master, Cyrix. We're the same, you and I, no matter how much you try to deny it. I am what you would be today, if you hadn't chosen to be weak."

"I...am not...weak..."

Tapping into the deepest reserves of her strength in the Force, she unleashed her powerful Shockwave, immediately releasing herself of Lucien's control. He was blasted backward to the opposite end of the room, and the door behind her snapped in half as she fell to the floor, coughing roughly as her airway reopened. The room's thin durasteel walls continued to buckle and destabilize from the mighty burst, and with the weight of the roof overhead, the ceiling began crumbling, as well. Though he was still recovering on the other side of the room, Lucien looked up and with a dark look stretched his hand to the ceiling above Mand, pulling the trembling debris down on top of her.


	13. Chapter 13

After hearing the explosion outside the medical center, Rech gathered the remaining Edgepoints and led them out to investigate. He had helped to speed the recovery of Commander Cal Jax his brush with death in his disabled fighter, and though some of the pilots had left with Admiral Sokol to work on restoring communications with Salastryn and Paneau, a few had stayed behind with their leader. Swip and Jod Brader kept up behind Rech and Commander Jax, blasters drawn as they carefully approached the chaotic scene in the street.

"Demmar guards everywhere, Sir," Jod reported as they surveyed the area. "Looks like those wrecked ships are Demmar, too."

Rech nodded, making the same observations. The ships had left a long, dragging scar on the ground where they had tumbled down the street to their current resting place, and judging by the large amounts of debris scattered about the area and proximity damage done to the hangar and other buildings nearby, they seemed to have exploded after they crashed, not before. Looking up into the sky that was still releasing a steady rain, he couldn't see any vessels in the air, nor could he see any through the cloud cover. What kind of an attack had downed those Demmar ships?

Reaching out with the Force, he probed the nearby buildings, searching for Mand or Elena. He hadn't spoken to or seen either in a few hours, and while he knew that Mand had left the medical center some time ago, he wasn't sure where Elena and Koril had gone. Sensing his friends in the hangar next door, though, he detached his saber from his belt and looked to the Edgepoints beside him.

"The High Commander is there in the hangar. Follow me."

Getting quick nods from the three, he stepped out into the rain, quickly making his way toward it with his senses on edge, anticipating another attack. The Edgepoints filed along behind him, and though he only knew them as pilots, he briefly wondered if they had the same combat background as Koril. He had heard a lot about them from Elena, but seeing them in action for the first time, he wasn't sure what to expect from them.

Reaching the hangar without issue, though, he took a brief look inside, and he was surprised to see it mostly empty of ships. The _Celestia_ sat against a far wall with three Paneau fighters beside it, and all four were surrounded by a host of calm Paneau Royal Guards that seemed to number among the hundreds.

"General Kareu must have brought the guards back from their posts within the city," Commander Jax observed, following Rech as they continued on into the hangar. From a distance, Rech could see Koril and Elena standing atop the _Celestia_'s rear ramp, conversing with both Admiral Sokol and General Kareu. Elena glanced briefly at them and released a visible sigh of relief, glad to see Commander Jax in better health, but she quickly returned to Sokol as he continued speaking.

Having seen Elena's attention, some of the Paneau guards at the rear edges of the group looked back to the four as they approached. Some gave them respectful nods, but as they parted to give them a path to the _Celestia_, Rech suddenly stopped while the Edgepoints went on without him.

Without warning, he felt a massive release of power through his connection he shared with his wife Mand. He immediately recognized it as her unique Force Shockwave, her most potent defense against overwhelming odds. In the past, she had wielded it as an unconscious response to certain kinds of mind control she had been subjected to while being detained for four years, but after careful tutelage under Master Lithess, she had harnessed its power and had learned to use it only if necessary...so what had happened to her?

Before he could send a message out to her, though, he felt his legs buckle out from underneath him as a paralyzing numbness he had never before experienced took hold of him, stopping his heart and immobilizing his chest as he fell to his knees.

_...She was gone._

He wasn't sure how to process it. He had never felt such a debilitating loss that seemed to instantly shred his own soul to irreconcilable pieces, and part of him refused to believe it. He could no longer sense her lifeforce at all; her warm, tender presence that was always comforting his mind had disappeared so abruptly, so completely, leaving a cold, heavy emptiness in its place.

She hadn't said a thing to him during the many sorrow-filled hours he had spent with her while she recovered from her traumatic miscarriage, yet at the same time, he couldn't remember any of the last words he had said to her. He had tried to get her to respond to something, anything, but she had remained silent and inconsolable... And even as she faced some unknown enemy just moments before, she hadn't even reached out for him, neither asking for his help, nor sending him one last message...

In his shock, his senses had all become useless, even to the point where he couldn't feel his own lungs burning fiercely as they starved for a fresh breath. Time stood still as he continued to wrestle with the reality that she was gone, though every fiber of his being defiantly denied it. It wasn't until Elena knelt in front of him and brought his head up with her hands gently cupping his jaw to meet her pained gaze that it even registered that he hadn't also died with Mand.

"Rech! Rech, breathe!" Elena begged shakily, but his only response was a vacant stare as she searched his eyes. "_Rech!_"

He couldn't function any longer, and why would he want to? With Mand gone, all his strength had been drained as though she had been his only power source. But the distressed yet pleading look on Elena's face somehow forced him to obey, and he slowly drew in a long, weak breath, just enough to sustain himself until he found the will to take another. Relieved but still deeply troubled, Elena dropped one of her hands to grip Rech's tightly, holding her other at the side of his neck to keep him looking up at her.

"I felt it, too," she confessed softly, wearing an expression of desperation as though she, too, were still searching for any way to disprove what they had both sensed. But her confirmation only disheartened him more, verifying that he hadn't somehow lapsed into a perverse nightmare like he wanted to believe.

"No," he repeated numerous times as he slowly turned his head back and forth. "No...it's not true...it _can't_..."

A few quick footsteps approached them, but completely uninterested, Rech let his head fall forward, looking to the floor as Elena held his shoulders to keep him upright.

"Elena?" Koril's quiet, concerned voice inquired beside them. "What...?"

She couldn't immediately answer him, having to swallow hard to force her voice to work. "Something...happened to Mand."

A long, stunned silence fell over the Paneau guards who had gathered around as they heard and interpreted what Elena meant, but Rech could only imagine the looks on their faces. He didn't even want to think about how Koril was reacting, though; he knew his friend would take her death personally, faulting himself just as he had earlier after her injuries she sustained had caused her miscarriage. Forcing his mind to take hold of the last glimmer of hope he could find buried underneath his pain, he looked back up at Elena, meeting her saddened eyes with his blank face and empty voice.

"Where did she go?"

Again she struggled to respond, releasing a shaky breath before she spoke. "I don't know... She wanted to find Onndo; she was convinced he had a hand in all this."

Beside them, a pair of boots shuffled away briefly before he heard Koril level a harsh, angry tone at his officers. "General, bring me the Elite Guard immediately. We are going to end this, _now_."

Startled by the darkness in Koril's voice, Rech again looked up at Elena, finally realizing just how much his friends had been wounded, too. His aching would never fade, he knew, but he couldn't let them suffer if there was something he could do about it. Opening himself up to comprehend Elena's pain, he tried to comfort her as much as he could, using the Force to feed a calming peace into her heart. She closed her eyes and sat back from him as she felt his efforts, but intent on containing her emotions for his sake, she nodded to acknowledge his help and thank him for it. Somehow he found the strength to stand after a moment, turning to Koril and General Kareu to address them.

"I'm going with you."

Looking back at him, Koril furrowed his brows, struggling to give him an answer. He glanced at Elena as she stood beside Rech, wordlessly asking her opinion, but he still couldn't respond, conflicted.

"She would have left herself behind for us to find," Rech continued plainly. "I need to see for myself. I...I need to know."

Though Koril looked as though he were about to say no, a wave of emotion halted his reply, and he took in a slow breath as he clenched his jaw and nodded.

At his side, Elena gripped Rech's arm tightly, worry saturating her features. "Rech, how can you..." Though she trailed off, he understood her question she couldn't finish.

"I will grieve later...but we first have a duty to the people of this sector. We find her, we find Onndo, right?"

"...If she was able to locate him first, then...hopefully, yes."

He nodded. "Then that's where we start."

Though he knew he wasn't going to be successful for long, he could withhold his anguish at least until he got answers. Despite having lost his child and his wife within hours of each other, he somehow found renewed determination. He was more resolved than ever to end the dark threat that hovered over the innocents of the three worlds, regardless of the fact that his own world had just ended.

* * *

Walking through the belly of a lifeless, silent ship would have been unnerving enough even without the knowledge that a fleet of hundreds of enemies was tucked away somewhere within it. Though she had been a Jedi Master for many years, it was a situation that Amina Kanomin hadn't quite experienced before, and it kept her senses on the highest alert.

Though the ship had seemingly long since ceased to process its internal atmosphere, the majority of its decks still retained adequate air pressure, allowing them to safely navigate it, provided they brought their own light and air. Three Rallyes had accompanied her from the _Valiance_ to the Huxnel's skeletal Star Destroyer, slowly progressing through the darkened halls as their breath masks echoed intermittently down the corridor. They held their blasters in tight grips at their sides as they kept their glowrods shining in front of them, but patient to the last, Master Kanomin had yet to pull her lightsaber off her belt. She could sense their anxiety, not knowing what they were about to face, but she felt confident she could defend them all if the need arose.

The two younger officers, Lt. Gant Relyson and En. Ac Tidu, closely followed their superior, the squadron's second in command Capt. Fichter, and after briefly glancing back at them, Master Kanomin noticed all three suddenly sporting the same concerned expression as they each turned their heads in different directions; something was approaching them.

"Master--"

"I hear it, too," she interrupted Lt. Relyson intensely, silencing them all as she brought her hand up to halt them. Listening intently as she quieted her breath, she focused on the sound, isolating it from the Rallyes' soft breathing behind her... It was...mechanical, mixed with weighted metal striking metal...

Realizing the sound was approaching them from the hall ahead, she held her arm out and moved the three against the wall behind her as they powered down their glowrods to hide themselves. She used the Force to deepen the darkness around them and to enhance her own sight in the dark, waiting and watching in tense silence as her hand hovered over her lightsaber hilt...

After a few moments, a lone droid lumbered past, though its awkward gait puzzled her. It was a fairly large humanoid droid, taller and bulkier than any protocol droid she could remember meeting. Seemingly unsteady in the dark, the droid stumbled and landed against the wall, though it remained silent as its servos whined loudly and righted itself. Standing again, it continued on its way down the adjacent hall, completely unaware of the intruders in its company. As Master Kanomin listened for its clanking to fade and eventually disappear, she turned to the Rallyes behind her, keeping her voice low.

"It was a droid," she explained quietly.

"Did it see us?"

She shook her head briefly before remembering that they couldn't see her, either. "I don't think so. Its optical sensors didn't seem to be working too well in the dark."

"I don't hear any more of them, Master," Capt. Fichter observed, and she agreed.

"Keep your glowrods at minimum power, and stay close to me. We'll have to proceed with great caution; the longer they don't know we're here, the better."

The three returned their lights to the lowest setting, casting gentle shadows in the corridor. Though she had initially decided to continue in the other direction, curiosity took her down the same hall the droid had gone. Something told her the droid was a clue, and picking up on its loud, recognizable steps was easy enough even though she had earlier allowed it to get out of earshot.

Almost every wall that lined the corridor they were swiftly moving through had numerous panels carefully cut from the surrounding structure, revealing the deck's internal supports. The random patched pattern closely resembled the Destroyer's exterior on a smaller scale, and as they traveled further in, it became apparent that there was no wall left untouched. Such an extensive amount of scavenging had to have taken months if not years, and still a substantial quantity of salvageable material remained. Whoever had mounted such a large operation seemed to have left no trace of their presence behind, save for the obvious work that had gone into the ship's decomposition. So where had all the workers gone?

Rounding one more corner on the heels of the droid they were pursuing at a distance, Master Kanomin saw a strange light ahead that silhouetted its bulky form. Glancing back at the Rallyes, they too, looked confused; their glowrods were being drowned out by light that was already filling the hall, coming from another source in front of them. They clicked them off simultaneously as she continued to follow the droid, but before she got much closer, she heard a gruff male voice echoing down toward them.

"Hurry up, Ellfor, these modifications aren't going to make themselves."

The droid answered with an equally rough digitized voice as it turned and disappeared into an adjacent hall. "Yes, Master."

Behind her, the Rallyes all raised their blasters, but she shook her head at them, quietly motioning for them to be patient. Capt. Fichter initially refused, but close enough to reach him, she lightly touched his hand with a calm expression, and eventually he gave in and lowered his blaster, as well. Nodding to each of them, she carefully strode closer to the lighted hall, keeping her every step gentle and soft as she also masked the noise of the Rallyes' steps behind her. Her caution was almost immediately rendered needless, though, as the mechanical whirring of a hydrospanner being put to good use filled the corridor. It first seemed to resonate through a large cavernous space before it reached them, intensified to sound like dozens of them were working all at once. Reaching out with the Force, she probed the room around the corner as she inched closer to it with her back against the wall, but she only sensed one life form, presumably the man she had heard speaking. Were there even _more _droids awaiting them?

"Lucien had better be more specific the next time he demands programming adjustments," the man grumbled. "These things weren't meant for flight within a planet's atmosphere for extended periods of time, and I'm growing tired of sending out test drones one at a time. It's not efficient."

"Master," the droid addressed him again, "the drones reported passing a New Republic cruiser as they returned--"

"Yes, Ellfor, I saw the report," he interrupted, "but even if they do take interest, the cruiser's scanners can't get through this plating, so it won't find anything. We're fine."

"I still think it wise to inform Master Lucien. He was most adamant that he be notified of any developments."

"Is the cruiser staying here?"

The droid was reluctant to answer, seemingly perplexed. "It seems that way for now, Sir."

A heavy tool fell onto a solid surface, and the man grunted with effort. "Then it's not important to his 'developments'. Hand me that manifold."

The droid's hefty steps echoed through the room as it followed the man's orders, and deciding that both would be momentarily preoccupied enough, Master Kanomin carefully edged closer to the room, desperate to get a glimpse inside. As she gradually turned her head to look in, she wasn't quite sure what she was seeing.

Vastly different from the light gray panels that comprised the Destroyer's external hull and its internal corridors, an enormous room completely lined with black walls extended on for hundreds of meters up and back into the main cavity of the ship, shaped like no hangar she had seen before. It looked like the majority of the ship's core had been hollowed out and connected to the original hangar to expand it, essentially converting the inert Destroyer into a decrepit shell encasing a heavily armored hangar. One flood light marginally illuminated the whole room from its far end, but it wasn't long before she realized that the walls were...subtly moving.

...the small black vessels that she had watched pass over her aboard the _Valiance_'s command deck just hours earlier were huddled by the thousands along the hangar's walls, packed together tightly and quietly hovering in place.

Quickly shaking herself from her shocked stupor, she returned to look at the man and droid in the center of the hangar, watching them for a moment as they worked on one of the black, arrow-shaped drones. The man was white-haired and hunchbacked, though he looked far from helpless as he effortlessly tossed away a piece of equipment that landed on the hangar floor with a dead thud. His droid beside him was nearly twice his height, and it, too, seemed impressively built as it fluidly rolled the drone up onto its side, holding it in place as the man continued to work.

"These optical sensor enhancements aren't going to help much, but without any real sensors...they'll have to do. Yours work well enough, don't they, Ellfor?"

"Actually, Master, I would like to express my displeasure with--"

"They're fine," he interrupted the droid again, cutting off its answer. "You've even got better ones than the drones do right now. So far they've done their job, which is more than I can say for you. Once we get the Admirals back and I get to sell my programming, you'll be getting some major hardware upgrades."

"Yes, Master."

With one swift adjustment and final placement with his hydrospanner, the man stepped back and pulled a datapad from his jacket, deftly punching away at its screen. His droid released the drone and stepped back just as its repulsors and stabilizers powered up, righting itself as it seemed to instantly respond to the man's commands from his datapad. He continued to tap for a few minutes until it steadily ascended and spun in place, turning itself around toward the hangar's exit.

"Okay, we'll see how well this one does against that New Republic cruiser. Its ion cannon won't disable a huge ship like that completely, but it should be able to knock out at least one system. Which one should I have it home in on, Ellfor?"

"Weapons, Master."

The man nodded. "I think we'll target life support."

One last command from the datapad sent the drone slowly on its way out of the hangar as the man calmly looked on. Though she wasn't sure how much time she had before it reached the _Valiance_, she had to think quickly. Drawing in a short breath, she threw a powerful Force Push at a stack of cargo containers beside the man, sending them toppling behind him and loudly scattering their contents onto the hangar floor. Content with the distraction as the man began to blame his droid for the mess, she turned and took off at a dead sprint down the hall toward their shuttle as the Rallyes kept up closely behind her.


	14. Chapter 14

Even though the rain had finally stopped falling and clouds had mostly cleared from the sky, chaos remained in Wray as Demmar officials struggled to restore power to the city. Demmar guards filled the streets, but with no clear structure or direction, they were easily overwhelmed by their frantic citizens. Without any means of communication, either, the situation was only becoming worse. The scene repeated over and over throughout the business sector as the Paneau made their way through the city, though they traveled in small separate groups as they searched for Onndo...and for Mand.

The overall mood of the city was fearful, and Rech could easily sense it. He kept his feelings completely open to everything he could, taking in each flutter of activity, each whisper of thought from anyone nearby. Though his rational mind told him otherwise, he so desperately wanted to believe he could find Mand by sensing just the slightest hint of her presence and save her...maybe even bring her back, but they had yet to find her in the hectic city. The longer their search continued, the more despair was beginning to take over his wounded heart despite his best efforts to postpone it.

Upset herself but determined to hide it, Elena hadn't left his side since they began their journey into the city on foot, with Koril and Capt. Jax leading their small group surrounded by a few Elite Guards. Along the way, they encountered clusters of Salastryni guards who, like the Paneau, had spread out through Wray prior to the Security Summit but had been stranded after the attacks had cut off communications. Koril and Capt. Jax stopped to briefly converse with some they met, but none could offer any information about Demmar's First Regent, nor could they report having seen Mand about the city. Rech could sense Koril's rising frustration with each fruitless inquiry, and hoping to calm him somewhat, he stepped up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him and the rest of the group.

Shaking with anger, Koril swiftly turned and met Rech's gaze, his eyes hardened by grief. As Rech extended the Force to him and tried to soothe his frayed nerves, though, Koril's eyes softened and he released a quavering breath, looking to the ground briefly while he restrained his emotions. His jaw clenched as he returned to Rech, but his voice was settled.

"We will find her," he pledged again, but Rech could only nod slightly, feeling his own sorrow welling up within him once more. Keeping the group moving, Koril turned and continued down the street, his Elite Guards tightly encircled around him and Capt. Jax. Rech eventually followed, too, glancing at Elena as she stayed close beside him.

"Cordira must be giving her nannies terrible trouble right now," he thought out loud, his voice distant. The one-and-a-half-year-old girl had been so keenly in tune with Mand, easily getting upset when her mother was stressed. Surely she had felt Mand's Shockwave just like he had, and it would have startled her into a sudden crying fit she wouldn't get over quickly, but how would she react to no longer feeling her mother's presence?

"Kollie and Raen are very good with the children," Elena answered just as quietly. "I'm sure they've gotten her calmed down by now."

He nodded, thanking her for her words of comfort, but he still sought further answers...

"Is there any way...that she could still be alive?"

Meeting his gaze sadly, Elena struggled to answer. "I...don't know. She's powerful, you know that." A strange look flickered across her face as she continued to think, but she remained silent, prompting Rech to question her more.

"What is it?"

Giving him an uneasy look, she sighed before she continued. "Just after you two had been taken by the Nerezzas on Coruscant last year, she...put herself in a hibernation trance, and when we found her...I couldn't feel her life force at all. She looked and felt dead...but she was just sleeping."

Rech blinked, surprised. "I didn't know she had done that."

Though she nodded, her expression remained sad. "But I don't know about this; this was so...sudden..."

Distracting him, a pair of Paneau guards approached them from an intersecting street, each bowing as they reached the group.

"High Commander," one addressed Koril quickly as he faced him, "we've spoken with all the Demmar officers we could find. None of them seem to know where Onndo is, Sir. They said he had taken shelter in that building over there," he said as he indicated a bland-looking, solid building at the end of the street, "but he's disappeared. No one knows where he's gone."

Dismayed, Koril looked down the street toward the building, examining it. "What do they know about it?"

The officer shrugged. "Not much. It was evacuated for the First Regent's use as a shelter after the shuttle attack, but after the blackout, no one could find him. They put the--"

Interrupting him mid-sentence, an injured woman called out to them urgently as she stumbled up the street toward them. "High Commander! High Commander Rys'tihn!!"

Though initially confused, Koril eventually seemed to recognize her as she reached them, nodding to his guards to help her while she struggled to stand. "Ms. Qi?"

The woman nodded, accepting the guards' aid as she looked up to Koril with a worried expression. Her face was badly bruised as though she had been beaten, and a gash on her forehead, while old enough to have closed up, still looked to have been the result of a heavy strike. She wore clothing that was reminiscent of Demmar high class, but it, too, was ragged from a scuffle. Though breathing heavily from her exertion and her injuries, she tried to speak quickly. "I'm...Regional Regent of Wray, Sado Qi. You...you must hurry. Your friend...Mand, we...we were attacked, and she -- the ceiling, it fell, I couldn't...I can't move the...I can't get her out..."

Feeling his breath leave him again, Rech looked to the ground, barely able to control his expression. Beside him, Elena gripped his arm to remind him to breathe, though she remained wordless. The woman continued, however, undaunted by the others' silent responses.

"Hurry, we can...she's hurt, she...she needs..."

"Ms. Qi," Koril addressed her faintly, shaking his head, "...she's gone."

Looking up to see the woman's disbelieving expression, Rech watched her as she fumbled for words after a brief moment of shocked silence. "How...how--how do you know? I...she...she--s-s-she saved my life... I...I tried, I tried to..."

Koril nodded as he stepped toward her, moved with compassion as she broke down. "Thank you...for trying." After allowing her time to regain her composure, he continued quietly. "Can you take us to her?"

Though she still looked upset, she agreed and looked back toward the dull building they had discussed earlier. "There, on the top floor..."

Wary of the mysterious building but determined to fulfill his promise, he turned and walked with his guards and Sado towards it, and as usual, Capt. Jax was quick to protest.

"Sir, allow us to go in first to assess structural damage and determine if any threats remain."

Koril's only response was a harsh glare, though, forcing Capt. Jax to back down, albeit reluctantly, as they continued through the street. They hadn't gone much further before it became apparent that the area was strangely vacant, lending an even more ominous feeling to the atmosphere, and Rech was beginning to wonder if Capt. Jax's caution was not entirely unnecessary...

"Ms. Qi, where are your guards?" Koril asked carefully, also noticing the empty streets.

Limping along with the Paneau guards' help, she choked briefly, still upset. "They're searching for the First Regent. He was captured...by the people who attacked us."

"Who? Who attacked you?"

Again she stifled a sob, hesitant to answer. "Huxnel."

Immediately Rech and Elena exchanged glances, and Koril, too, looked back to them with an unreadable expression. So the Huxnel were involved...but how, and why? They had caused so much damage, ruined so many lives already, but how did they fit into this situation? What did they want from these worlds?

Rech's questions quickly dissipated, though, as they entered the empty, darkened, nondescript building and began the slow ascent to its highest floor to find Mand. Even as Elena kept a tight grip on his arm to support him, he froze in place as he set his foot atop the first stair, suddenly immobilized by his fear and grief. Reminded of his loss, his lungs refused to work once more as the aching tore through his chest. How was he going to have the strength to climb the six flights of stairs between him and the body of his wife?

Elena's gentle but silent encouragement was enough to unlock his muscles to continue upward, but the pain worsened with every step, and nothing, not even his friend's comfort could heal it. He had to find her, though, so they could all say goodbye...

Reaching the top level, Sado brought them into a large room and needlessly pointed to the corner where a gaping hole in the ceiling allowed waning sunlight to filter down onto a pile of rubble. Sado's initial efforts were evident at the edge of the pile, where she had cleared a small amount of debris and uncovered Mand's hand, laying palm up and slightly curled just beyond a large, heavy slab. Again, his heart stopped as he stepped toward her, no longer registering the others in the room, but with the last ounce of courage he could muster, he extended his hand over her, desperately searching for any sign of life. He probed deeply, calling on the Force to stir any possible kind of response from her...but she remained silent.

Determined still, he took in a pained breath and closed his eyes, wrapping an invisible grip around the slab. He struggled to concentrate, though, keeping it level as he lifted it, but moving it a safe distance from her, he floated it to the other side of the room and dropped it out of the way with a heavy smack. Releasing a shaky breath, he reluctantly opened his eyes to look down at her lifeless form, afraid of what he would see.

Perfectly motionless, she laid on her back with her other arm resting across her stomach, her head turned away from him and her legs tucked to the side underneath her. She was drenched from head to toe, soaking wet from the rain that had fallen through the ceiling's gap onto the pile. As the rain had filtered down through the rubble, it awkwardly matted her long brown hair to her face, and since he could see no open wound on her anywhere, perhaps it had washed away her blood, as well, cruelly taunting him into thinking she wasn't injured at all. If he hadn't lifted the slab away himself, he would have thought her merely sleeping, as peaceful as she looked, and it only worsened his suffering.

After he had carefully slid debris away from her to clear the floor around her, he slowly knelt down beside her, his face twisted in pain. She had survived so much worse over the past few years, it seemed stupid to have lost her in such a way, and he was still in denial. Though he knew it was irrational, he couldn't bring himself to touch her, afraid of hurting her further. He could tell there were voices murmuring and moving behind him, but he wasn't paying any attention, remaining focused on her.

In a surreal haze, he stared at her delicate hand as it laid across her stomach, not even bruised or deformed from trauma. He wanted to gently pick it up to hold it one last time, but absurdly still determined to not cause her more pain, his hand hovered indecisively over her. A sudden, slight movement caught his eye, though, and initially he dismissed it as his distraught mind playing tricks on him. He watched her a moment longer, however, faintly hoping though he knew it was impossible...

...yet he saw that her chest rose and fell with the smallest noticeable breath once more.

Blinking repeatedly to rid his eyes of anything that might be causing them to falter, he watched again in disbelief as she took in and let out a short, shallow breath. He leaned over her further and reached a shaky hand up to her neck, pressing his fingers against her skin, her surprisingly warm skin...and felt her strong, steady pulse throbbing under his touch.

He could barely get the words out fast enough in his amazement. "She's alive!!"

Tucking one hand under her head and brushing her wet hair from her cheeks with the other, he carefully turned her face toward him as he caressed her, smoothing her hair back from her temple to rouse her. "Mand! Mand, come on, wake up! Please!"

Behind him, he heard footsteps approach him as Elena placed a heavy hand on his shoulder, her voice pained. "Rech, don't, she's..."

"No, she's got a pulse, she's breathing, look!!"

Though he was anxiously watching, he got no further movement or response from her, but he persisted, calling her name and waiting with bated breath. Agonizing seconds ticked by, and still nothing, quickly sinking his spirits. He knew he had felt her blood pumping, and he had seen her breathing; he couldn't have imagined it...could he?

Without any extra movement, her eyes slowly began fluttering open, fixing almost immediately on his face. Tears of relief and elation filled his eyes, blurring his vision as he smiled down at her, but he could tell that her expression remained the same, blank with an unfocused gaze.

"...Rech?"

Still stroking her forehead to comfort her, he leaned even closer to her, shaking with happiness as he looked down into her rich brown eyes. "I'm here, I'm right here. You're going to be okay."

But instead of looking consoled, she seemed almost more alarmed as she glanced beyond him at Elena who had knelt down beside them and at Koril who stood behind Elena. Her voice was rough, distant yet concerned, briefly curtailing his exhilaration.

"...how did you find me?"

Perplexed by her question, his expression fell as he looked her over, afraid she was more injured than she appeared. "Sado got our attention in the street, and she brought us up here to you." Feeling his worry for her health beginning to overshadow his delight at finding her alive, he delicately ran his fingers down the side of her face, extending the Force to her to determine the extent of her wounds. Even though she was looking straight at him and he was gently cradling her head in his hand, he could still feel no connection to her, nor could he feel her presence. She was essentially 'dead' to the Force...but why?

"Oh, Mand...what happened? We thought you were...gone..."

Again looking behind him at Elena and Koril, Mand returned to Rech with a solemn expression, becoming more alert as the minutes passed. "I had to hide." She took in a sharp breath as she struggled to swallow, wincing as though the effort pained her. Taking a moment more to recover, she looked between the three again. "I didn't have time to warn you."

"You had to hide? From what?"

Before she could answer, though, the ceiling released a light shower of debris from its crumbling edge. Reacting quickly, Rech shielded her as best he could, using the Force to deflect away the larger pieces. When the debris settled once more, he glanced up at the ceiling over them, then looking back down at her and the rubble around her, he nodded.

"Come on, let's get you out of this mess."

Working carefully but quickly, he wrapped an arm under her shoulders to pick her up, but as soon as he began to move her, she cried out in pain, halting him.

"My arm," she hissed, and finally able to see the superficial but aggravated wound as her tattered shirt fell away from her far shoulder and upper arm, he repositioned his hand to pull her up without hurting her further. Effortlessly gathering her up into his arms, he slowly stood and lifted her, setting her down against the wall at the opposite end of the room. She was at least able to sit up, but she allowed her head to fall back and rest on the wall behind her, closing her eyes briefly as he knelt beside her to examine her arm.

Though glistening from the earlier rain, her skin was red around its boundaries, but the majority of the wound was exposed muscle from the top of her shoulder down her upper arm. It looked as though something had seared the skin away, reaching the underlying muscles, and he knew the pain had to be excruciating. Watching her expression as he spoke, he brought his hand up to begin healing her.

"Mand, what happened? This looks like a...a burn."

She merely nodded, taking in a sharp breath as he gently touched his hand to it. She held her breath to endure the worst of the pain until he drew on the Force to cool and soothe it, and nodding again, she released a shaky breath as she looked at him.

"That's because it is." She briefly glanced at the others hovering around them, seeming to address them, as well, as she explained. "We have a big problem... The Huxnel are here; they're the ones that are controlling those ships." She grimaced again, groaning as she looked down at her arm before she continued. "Onndo hired them to build hundreds of them equipped with that weapon, but apparently he never paid them. They came back to reclaim the ships, and that's when they found out that the rest of the Huxnel had been captured. They don't care about us, about Paneau or Demmar... They're only interested in using those ships to free the Admirals from the New Republic detention centers! We have to stop them before they leave the sector!"

Behind him, Koril spoke up, sounding confused but curious. "How do you know all this, Mand?"

Again swallowing with effort, she glanced between the three before she cast her gaze to the floor, beginning to shake from her cold, soaking clothes. "One of the five Huxnel...is a Dark Jedi. He told me everything, trying to convince me to go back to them, to help them, but when I refused, he fought me.

"I should have lost," she continued with a distant voice. "He knew every move I was going to make...every parry, every block... I would've lost my arm if I hadn't moved at the last possible second." Squeezing her eyes tightly shut with another round of pain, she took in and released short a few short breaths before she looked up at Rech once more, blinking momentarily to seemingly force her eyes to focus again. "His master trained mine; we had the same fighting style. Somehow I was able to gain ground on him, and in return, he locked me in a Force Choke. The only way I could break it was with my Shockwave...but it destabilized the room; he brought the ceiling down on top of me.

"I knew I wasn't going to fool him completely, since it was from his master Tzan that I had learned it, but I hid my life force as quickly as I could to at least make him think that he had gravely wounded me. I did what I could to keep the ceiling from crushing me, so I don't think I'm hurt anywhere else..." To check for injuries, she moved her other arm and her legs briefly, and unable to find anything ailing her, she looked back up. "Those ships can cause so much damage on Coruscant. We have to stop them here."

Finally finished with his preliminary healing of her arm, Rech rocked back onto his feet, watching her carefully as he released his hand. A strange chill overcame him as he continued to struggle with the fact that though his friend and wife of six years sat right in front of him, meeting his eyes with a remote gaze, he still couldn't feel any link to her. He finally knew the reason, but it didn't lessen the aching he felt without her presence. Drawing in a slow breath to instead focus himself on the arduous task they had before them, he looked up at Elena and Koril behind him, exchanging concerned glances with them.

"The Huxnel have Onndo, don't they? How can we find them?"

Though Mand began to answer Elena's question, her attention was diverted as Capt. Jax stepped back toward the opening in the ceiling, looking up into the clearing twilight sky.

"I think the better question is, how do we follow them?" He looked to Koril briefly, shaking his head. "It's not a Demmar craft, Sir."

The roaring sound of a ship's engines lifting from the city streets nearby filled the room, and Koril and Elena both returned to the opening, apparently seeing the vessel that was leaving. Taking a short moment to think, Koril turned to Capt. Jax. "Which of the Edgepoints are still here?"

"Commander Jax, and Lieutenants Wip and Brader, Sir. They remained in the hangar with the Celestia when we left."

Nodding, he glanced up at the sky again before continuing his orders. "Find someone whose commlink can reach the hangar, and send Lt. Brader after that ship immediately. Instruct him to follow as distantly as possible, though, just close enough to see where they're going. Understood?"

"Yes, High Commander," Capt. Jax answered promptly, pulling his commlink from his pocket as he began to relay the order. Koril quickly returned to Rech and Mand, though, looking at them both with concern. "We should get back to the hangar. I'm hoping our guards have found Salastryn's General Magri so we can at least get organized enough to leave Demmar. Can --"

"No," Mand interrupted him firmly, "we need to stay."

Surprised by her defiance, Koril furrowed his brows. "We're cut off out here, Mand. We can't coordinate any kind of defense--"

"I told you, they don't care about Demmar, or Paneau. They chose this city as a test site for the attack they're planning for a reason. Maybe they're positioned somewhere nearby."

"They are nearby," Elena confirmed from across the room, stepping closer to them as she went on. "Remember Master Kanomin's transmission, Koril? She said a Star Destroyer is harboring the ships in the asteroid field at the sector's edge. That's not far from here."

Koril sighed as he continued to think, but again Mand interrupted him, her voice unwavering. "There's not much time. We have to take the fight to them, or the New Republic will never know what hit them."

Though he looked reluctant, he finally nodded in agreement, rounding up his Elite Guard to prepare to leave. Elena knelt down on Mand's other side, looking over her worriedly before she turned to Rech, wordlessly offering her aid. He shook his head calmly, and carefully but easily pulling Mand back into his arms despite her protests, he stood with her and gently cradled her against himself as he followed the others to return to the hangar.


	15. Chapter 15

Finally left alone for a few brief minutes, Mand sat hunched over on the edge of the bed within a guest room aboard the _Celestia_, holding her fiercely pounding head in her hands. After healing it a second time, Rech had wrapped a bandage around her seared arm and shoulder with some bacta they had on the Rys'tihn's yacht, so without its pain to distract her, a severe headache threatened to make her sick instead. Even though the lights were dim inside the room, her head felt as though it could explode if she so much as blinked or moved just slightly...

Though she hadn't noticed it at first, something warm was running down her upper lip, and feeling it drip onto her lap, she brought her hand from her forehead to her nose and dabbed at it. Expecting clear discharge after her eyes had been watering from her intense pain, she was surprised to see dark fluid traveling down her finger. She vainly wiped at her nose with her sleeve at her wrist, removing the blood from her face as best she could. She knew Rech would be returning soon, and the longer she could hold off his concern, the better. It had been hard enough to resist his presence as he healed her arm earlier, but if he tried to ease whatever was causing her headache and nosebleed, she wouldn't be able to retain control of her mask the way she needed to. No, she couldn't let him know she had been wounded further by the ceiling collapse...

The room's door quietly slid open after some time, and with a short hesitation, Rech stepped inside and stood in front of her, though he remained silent. She made one more furtive pass under her nose to remove the evidence before she looked up at him, forcing any minute sign of pain from her expression. He seemed conflicted, his eyebrows furrowed together as though he were still concentrating hard on finding her, sensing her in the Force. She could easily feel his turmoil, too; he made no effort to hide it. His defeated voice, though, was what pained her most.

"Why are you doing this?"

Feeling his aggrieved gaze draining her last reserves of strength and resolve, she looked down to the floor, desperate to give him a reason that would make him understand...

"He knows what I'm capable of," she answered carefully, "and he knows that I could stop him. He _has_ to think that I am no longer a threat to him so we can take him by surprise when we catch up with him."

Though she knew she'd regret it, she stole a quick glance up at him to gauge his reaction. His expression hadn't changed much, but his pain was even more evident in his deep eyes as he momentarily struggled to form words in response.

"All those hours we spent in that Wray med center room," he began in a guarded, muted tone, "you never said one word to me. Then you left. No one knew where you went. But I felt your Shockwave, and then...nothing." His eyes searched hers as he went on, his voice shaking. "I thought...no, I _knew_ that you were dead. And yet, I carried you here... You're sitting here right in front of me...and I'm still not sure that I'm not just imagining it."

She watched him as he slowly stepped away, his back to her briefly, and he quieted even more as he continued. "You have _no_ idea how much it's killing me that I can't sense you." Turning slightly to her, his voice hardened suddenly. "And you don't even look like you care."

Struggling to swallow a hard lump in her throat, she again looked down, taking the opportunity to stop another drip from her nose with her sleeve as he looked away.

"I know what you're doing. You did it before."

Surprising her, he turned back to her completely, his face abruptly worn with compassion. "I know you're still hurting from yesterday...but so am I. I, too, lost a child. You are not the only one suffering here. Why can't you let me help you? Why do you have to hide from me, too?"

Locking gazes with him, she could feel her eyes watering again, though it wasn't entirely the fault of her splintering headache. She wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him and share herself with him once more...but she was beginning to realize that somehow the dark haze that Lucien had held over her during their encounter earlier still weighed heavily on her mind. Surely she was mistaken. While Rech had carried her through the streets of Wray to the _Celestia_, she had watched Lucien's shuttle leaving the city, and that had been some time ago; his influence should have been long since gone. But still she felt his ominous presence...and he wasn't far.

"...they're still here."

Rech blinked, confused. "What?"

"On Demmar," she explained, though she still didn't believe it herself. "They didn't leave."

Studying her face as she continued to probe the city for their location instead of answering his questions, he began to look offended. "Were you even listening to me?"

She looked back up at him, unable to force her eyes to focus as she met his incredulous gaze. "I have to tell Koril."

Though she stood too quickly and wavered, he made no move to help her, nor did he try to stop her from leaving. She might have declined his help, anyway, anxious to share her information. As she made her way to the _Celestia_'s main hold, she hardly heard his pursuing footsteps behind her, and they were eventually drowned out by the crowd that was gathered around Koril.

Six squadron commanders, both Paneau and Salastryni, stood at attention behind him as he conversed with Admiral Sokol and Generals Kareu and Magri. Each of the officers wore a solemn expression as they talked, but before she could step around and interrupt them to address Koril, the comm station beside them beeped and lit up.

"Edgepoint Five to High Commander Rys'tihn."

Immediately dropping the conversation, Koril turned away from her to the console and answered it quickly. "Go ahead, Five."

"I followed that shuttle, Sir, and it's landed."

Though Mand could only see his expression from the side, she could tell he looked surprised. "Landed? Where?"

"Just on the outskirts of the city, Sir. There's a clearing in a small wooded area not far from the power coupling station that was disabled earlier. They landed and dragged First Regent Onndo out of the ship, and...well, from this distance, I can't tell if he's still alive, Sir."

A dark look momentarily flashed across Koril's face as he glanced back at Mand, acknowledging her presence in the hold for the first time. He quickly corrected his expression, though, as he met her gaze, but she already had an idea of what was going through his mind. He returned to the console after a slight hesitation, releasing a short breath.

"Any other activity, Lieutenant?"

"Nothing right now, Sir. They're just...waiting."

"Waiting?"

"Affirmative. Seems like they're watching the skies for something."

Though he said nothing, he stepped back and looked up toward the cockpit where she saw Capt. Jax sitting at the controls.

"I'm not picking up anything on the scanners, Sir," Jax reported promptly.

Again returning to the console, Koril rubbed his cheek as he thought. "Alright, Lieutenant, keep an eye on them and report any updates, but do _not _for any reason engage them. They are extremely dangerous, so you are to maintain a sizeable distance and stay hidden, am I clear?"

"Yes, High Commander, understood. Brader out."

With a light sigh, Koril turned to his officers behind him and nodded, after which they stepped to the side out of his path. Mand also stepped back, watching as the squadron leaders moved forward at his direction.

"Commanders, prepare your squadrons for immediate departure. You have your assignments, but General Magri and I will also be accompanying you to the asteroid field when everyone reports in. Any questions?" Getting none from them, he nodded again. "Then we'll see you momentarily. Good luck."

The six pilots saluted their superiors before they left, quickly returning to the hangar just outside the _Celestia_'s ramp. Koril watched them leave before he turned to Mand, his expression and his voice weary. "You should stay here on Demmar, Mand." Casting his gaze just to her right and behind her, he continued. "You, too, Rech."

Unaware that he had followed her into the main hold, Mand glanced back at him, but immediately regretted it, feeling a sharp pain in her head with her sudden movement. Her discomfort must have been evident on her face as she returned to Koril, meeting his concerned gaze. Thankfully Rech spoke up before Koril could draw more attention to her.

"Where's Elena?"

Again afforded a chance to dab at her nose without anyone noticing, she brought her wrist up and cleared the drip, though she realized she was soon going to be unable to hide the growing bloodstain on her sleeve. She used her other hand to cover it as Koril answered, moving slowly to avoid his concern.

"She'll be flying a fighter with us." He sighed again, expressing his discontent with her involvement. "We haven't been able to contact Master Kanomin, so she wants to help find her."

"What about those ships? Have you figured out any way to detect them yet?"

Koril shook his head reluctantly as he answered Rech again. "We'll have to rely entirely on visual. Hopefully we can reach the Destroyer before they're deployed." Behind him, Admiral Sokol whispered to him as he turned his head, and after a moment he nodded, looking back to Rech and Mand. "We're ready to go. Milowi, would you please make sure that they're taken care of here?"

Standing behind the officers, a young woman stepped forward, bowing slightly to Koril with respect. "Yes, High Commander." She turned to them and smiled kindly, though it was the bandage strapped to her temple that caught Mand's eye as she quietly led them out of the _Celestia_ down its rear ramp. She wore no distinctive Paneau attire, but Koril seemed to trust her enough, sending her with them while he prepared to leave. Curious but in too much pain to talk as they exited the hangar, Mand instead had to focus on controlling the look on her face, but Milowi glanced back at her and stopped, turning to her with concern.

"Are you alright?"

Mand nodded carefully as she neutralized her expression, looking at Milowi's bandaged forehead. "Are you?"

Again smiling at them, she shook her head to dismiss her interest. "It's just a little cut." Briefly looking around to examine their surroundings, she returned and looked at them both. "As the High Commander said, my name is Milowi, Milowi Jax."

"Jax?" Rech spoke up beside Mand. "So you're related to Koril?"

Milowi nodded. "By marriage, yes. I do work for the Rys'tihn Royal Family," she added with a grin, "I just don't get a fancy uniform."

She seemed pleasant enough, but again glancing about the empty street, she seemed to suddenly become somewhat nervous. "We should get inside," she said as she indicated the med center behind her that they had been in hours earlier. But as Mand looked at it once more, a strange feeling formed in the back of her mind, and she shook her head, earning a confused expression from Milowi.

"I'm not going back in."

Rech turned to her, his voice grim. "Mand..."

It was almost like a...warning, or a call beckoning her anywhere else besides into that med center. The feeling reminded her of what she sensed just before the shuttles exploded on the landing platform the day before, but she couldn't quite decipher it as she had then. All she could do as she stepped backward from the building was shake her head, only certain that she wasn't supposed to go inside it. Both Rech and Milowi watched her, perplexed but remaining silent.

Turning back around to face the hangar they had just left, she stopped as the collective roar of dozens of engines sounded from the hangar's opening, and two by two, Paneau and Salastryni starfighters slowly flew out and away. She watched them as they gathered into formation overhead before leaving the atmosphere, but hardly more than a full squadron had emerged from the hangar...when a shrill sound from behind her sent shards of ice through her veins.

_The Huxnel ships._

Looking into the sky behind her, five of the swift, arrow-shaped Huxnel craft dove over the edge of returning cloud cover in perfect, synchronized form, briefly gleaming in the light of Demmar's largest moon. Their unique engines whined as they flew with incredible speed toward the assembling fighters, and with only a half second to make her decision as the dark ships nearly vanished against the night sky and threatened to end the Paneau and Salastryni mission before it even began, Mand glanced back at the hangar, then yelled toward Rech and Milowi as she began drawing on the power of the Force.

"Keep them going!!!"

Returning her attention to the sky as Rech and Milowi sprinted for the hangar, she thrust both her hands upward, closing her eyes in deep concentration as she met each of the five ships with an invisible wall. Unprepared for the recoil, she slid back on her feet as she absorbed their intense energy, but widening her stance and digging her heels into the ground, she fought back, grabbing each one and halting them in midair. Their engines strained harder and harder against her barrier, but opening her eyes to stare them down, she devoted even more energy to holding them back, tremulously shaking her entire body with the exertion.

Her massive, pounding headache worsened the longer she concentrated, forcing hot tears to stream down her face as her vision blurred and was in danger of going out completely. Her breath escaped her in choked spurts, but even as she felt blood continuing to drip off her chin from her nose, she maintained a stubborn, unbreakable grip on the five. Still, their revving, struggling engines echoed just meters above the city, and though she was far from willing to give up, her severe pain was going to break her grasp first...

Slowly turning her head to look back at the hangar, she watched as the last of the fleet, the _Celestia_ under Koril's direction, joined the other fighters and disappeared into space. They were all safely away, on their way to the Star Destroyer at the sector's edge. She knew she couldn't just let go and allow the Huxnel ships follow them, but she wasn't powerful enough to destroy them herself; one way or another, she had to stop them.

Somehow extracting the last reserves of strength she could find, she looked up at the five ships, and taking in a deep breath, she set her jaw and concentrated intensely to put an end to their menace. Though they still strained and battled against her efforts, she slowly pulled the ships extremely close to each other as she brought her hands together, curling her palms opposite each other as though she were holding an invisible ball. With all her power focused on the five, she continued to draw them together, compacting them, crushing them against each other...

In a final burst of strength, she gripped them all with tremendous force, and with one fluid movement, she released a deep, powerful scream as she swung her arms down, mightily wrenching the five ships to the ground. As they crashed in the city street in front of her, some broke in half, some crumpled into a pile as they landed nose first, but all were disabled, and their whining engines quickly whirred down to nothing. Within seconds, all she could hear was her own weak gasping and her shuffling feet as she clumsily stepped backward, disoriented and quickly losing her balance. Her headache was rapidly blinding her, and though she held an arm behind herself to break her fall, she landed hard on her back and hit her head on the ground, barely hanging on to consciousness.

Looking up at the black night sky, she was never sure if she was out or not, though her splitting headache reminded her when she was awake. It wasn't long before she heard two people running up to her, but all she could see through her half-open eyes was the blurry outline of their faces. One was a young blond-haired man in a dark Paneau uniform, and the other was a woman with brown hair. The man gently cradled her head as he knelt beside her and leaned over her while the woman pressed two fingers to her neck.

"Mrs. Natiyr! Mrs. Natiyr, can you hear me?"

"Her pulse is weak but steady, Swip," the woman informed him. "And look," she said as she carefully turned Mand's head to the side, "she's wounded. We need to get her into that med center."

"No," Swip answered, looking up at her, "we need to find her husband. He's a healer."

Only concerned with the outcome, though, Mand struggled to speak, surprising them. "The fighters...did...did they..."

Seeming to understand her question, Swip nodded, hardly keeping an amazed look off his face. "They all got out of here safely, thanks to you. You...you were incredible!"

Feeling a warm liquid draining out of her ear and down the back of her neck, she reached a hand up to it and touched it. "I just...did what was...necessary..." Bringing her hand back in front of her face, she once again saw blood trickling down her fingers, and it caught her breath in her chest.

"It's coming from your ear," the woman told her hesitantly, but it didn't ease Mand's anxiety.

"But...my ear doesn't hurt..." Suddenly panicked, she began taking in short, rapid breaths in her terror.

"Your nose is bleeding, too," the woman continued, but Mand hardly heard it, starting to hyperventilate and lose her coherence. Her eyes darted about as she felt her body begin to shake in fear, but a calming, familiar voice softly filled her mind, and she knew it didn't belong to the two tending to her on the ground.

_Mand, rest. I won't let anything happen to you._

Focused on the voice, she stilled as a peaceful feeling washed over her. "...Master?"

_Let go. _

She didn't want to. She still had to battle, she had to find Lucien and the other Huxnel and stop them...

_You've done well, but you've done enough for tonight. Allow yourself to let go now. I won't leave you._

Comforted by his kind words, she finally gave in, slowing her breathing little by little.

"Okay," she breathed, slowly releasing her body of the fight left within her. "Okay..." Feeling the weight of her exhaustion pulling her eyes closed, she allowed them to fall and spoke one last time. "Okay."

* * *

As Mand fell unconscious in Swip's arms, Milowi checked her pulse again, worried. "Still weak, but still steady."

Transfixed on her still, serene face, Swip sounded confused. "Who was she talking to?"

Shaking her head sadly as she bit her lower lip, Milowi shrugged. "I don't know." She sighed lightly as she examined Mand's bleeding ear, suspecting the mysterious head wound to be at fault. "Her husband should still be in the hangar with the Elite Guard. Do you think you can carry her?"

Glancing back at the distance he had to trek, he nodded and tossed his hair out of his eyes as he pulled her tightly against himself and stood. Making sure Mand was secure in his hold and that her head rested carefully on his shoulder, Milowi sent Swip toward the hangar, watching him until he got safely inside with her. Relieved if only for a moment, she released a heavy breath, hovering her hand over her blaster at her side as she turned to face the wreckage of the five ships that was still smoking in the street.

None of them had exploded when Mand threw them to the ground, but their damaged circuits and engines continued to snap and spark, spewing a light haze into the air that smelled of electricity and hovered just above them. As Milowi stepped closer, she studied every detail of the crushed and split hulls, determined to learn the secret to their invisibility. But finally standing just beside them, she realized just how small the ships really were. They were hardly half the size of any respectable fighter, and judging from the interior she could see of one of them, only minimal amounts of circuitry filled the almost empty shell. There was no seat for a pilot, no discernable piloting controls, just a chunk of computer wiring attached inside the nose. These ships were completely...automated?

A sudden burst of sparks erupted from a nearby engine, forcing Milowi to shield her face with her arm. Though she expected more, the engine quieted, and stepping around to the next one, she found an exposed computer control from another ship that looked to be the least damaged. If it still worked, though, she might be able to wire into it, tap into its programming...

Pulling a datapad from her jacket pocket, she ducked another shower of sparks and crouched down to reach the main leads. Surprisingly, it didn't look like a complicated computer, and wiring it to her datapad was extremely easy. Though its engines were dead, the main portion of the ship still functioned, and as she looked through the puzzling readout that came up on her screen from its computer, she furrowed her brows. At first she wasn't sure what she was seeing, but watching the hull briefly, she saw an electrical sheen roll across the surface, and upon reaching the broken edges, it sparked and disappeared, leaving the black metal hull lusterless once more.

Her datapad still showed a complex series of numbers in rapid succession, but what did they mean? The ships were little more than flying droids, responsible only to the programming they carried onboard, but what did the numbers have to do with anything? Again, the hull lit up with a moving sparkle, but this time the numbers on the screen changed. At the exact same time, Milowi heard a small shuttle lifting off from nearby, and as it rose above the city, she recognized it as the one Lt. Brader had been sent after. Moments later, his fighter left in pursuit, and once again, the numbers on the readout changed as the wrecked Huxnel ship's hull shimmered a third time.

The realization hit her hard, and disconnecting her datapad from the computer, she couldn't run fast enough back to the hangar to send a transmission to the Paneau and Salastryni who might already be out of communications range.


	16. Chapter 16

With his gaze firmly fixed on the viewport ahead of him, Koril easily navigated the _Celestia_ entirely by touch. He knew the luxury yacht well and didn't even have to look at its controls, but were he piloting a more unfamiliar ship in the same desperate circumstances, he would have flown the same way. Captain Jax sat beside him as his copilot, giving him the reassurance of a second pair of eyes on the space ahead of them as they approached the edge of the sector to confront the Huxnel threat directly.

Except for the five that had tried to attack them before they had even left Demmar, they hadn't encountered any more of the small ships. Mand had somehow been able to hold the hostiles back, allowing the starfighters to leave, and hopefully she was able to keep them from following the fleet, as well. With Edgepoint Leader Cal Jax flying tightly beside them, the _Celestia_ tailed the forty-five other Paneau and Salastryni fighters with General Magri's modified freighter _Archisyx_ and his Veil Leader in the lead, and as the fleet flew silently through the black toward the sector's edge, Koril knew the calm wouldn't last long.

"Five minutes to the asteroid field, Sir," Jax reported beside him. Koril nodded, opening the fleet's comm channel.

"Liberas, take up your positions."

"Yes, High Commander," the Salastryni squadron leader responded, and Koril watched as the eight fighters broke from the group and thinned out as planned, setting up a perimeter guard as the _Celestia_ passed them by. Taking in a slow breath to ease his nerves, he briefly glanced at Capt. Jax before he addressed the entire fleet.

"Veil, Concorde, Eclipse, Valor, Libera, and Edgepoint Squadrons," he began, "we are minutes away from the asteroid field where a Huxnel Star Destroyer is hiding, along with thousands of its dangerous ships. Once we find it, our attack will be swift. You all have your individual assignments, but I don't have to tell you that the situation can quickly turn against us if those ships meet us first. Continue constant visual sweeps and stay on highest alert. Rys'tihn out."

Though he left the channel open to hear the fleet's chatter, there was silence for a brief moment before patchy static filled the cockpit. Worried that the fighters had already encountered trouble, he quickly checked the scanners, but...all ships were accounted for.

"It's coming from Demmar, Sir, but it has a Paneau signature."

"Can you clean it up?"

Jax shook his head. "We're reaching the edge of our transmitter's range from Demmar, it's--"

Quieting him, the transmission finally began sputtering discernible words, making both men hold their breaths as they listened and recognized the voice as Milowi Jax.

"--saw the--ps--changed--equency, they are al--quip--ith shield modulators--sensiti--...--ividual scanner--"

As the transmission dropped completely with the distance, Koril struggled to piece the message together. Her tone sounded urgent, but without the majority of what she had said, he wasn't sure what exactly she was so desperate to tell them. Shield modulators? The puzzled look on Capt. Jax's face confirmed he was just as uncertain as Koril, but before either could discuss it, General Magri's voice broke the silence.

"Entering the asteroid field. We're picking up a...strange reading, and a New Republic signal, High Commander, just on the other side of Madiro."

Pausing only a moment, Koril's fingers flew over the console in front of him as he redirected the comm channel and patched it through to the fleet once more.

"If it's in scanner range, it's in communications range," he mentioned needlessly to Capt. Jax, completing the switch. "This is Paneau High Commander Koril Rys'tihn to the crew of the _Valiance_. Do you copy?"

A long, anxious quiet hung in the _Celestia_'s cockpit without a response from the New Republic attack cruiser, but finally a familiar click eased Koril's anxiety.

"Affirmative. Commander Joshua Redgrave, New Republic's Rallye Squadron."

Koril sighed with relief. "Good to hear your voice, Sir."

"You brought quite a fleet, High Commander," Joshua continued gruffly. "But I don't want to see any of your fighters...round this side of Madiro."

Though he hadn't noticed it earlier, Koril furrowed his brows, concerned as he listened to a fellow Royal. Joshua sounded almost...weak, breathless. "Sir?"

"We're pinned down. At least ten of those Huxnel ships...drones are sitting on top of us. They have been since they disabled some of our systems a few hours ago."

Beside him, Capt. Jax checked a sensor readout on the _Valiance_, relaying its information in a low tone to avoid being picked up by the open comm. "Their engines have been disabled, Sir." Hesitating, he looked to Koril with a troubled expression. "Life support, too."

Stunned, Koril blinked. Engines and life support were out, but if they had been attacked, how did they still have operational scanners and communication systems? A huge _Venator_-class attack cruiser like the _Valiance_ had to have at least five thousand crewmembers aboard, if not more, and without life support, they would quickly run out of air...if they didn't freeze first.

He struggled to speak. "Have you evacuated your crew?"

"We can't, Koril," came Master Amina Kanomin's quiet voice over the comm. "Not with those drones so close. We wouldn't stand a chance."

"You're not giving yourselves a chance if you don't try."

"Koril," Master Kanomin continued with a short gasp, "the drones are programmed, remotely operated..unmanned, and equipped to _only_ operate by optical sensors. As long as they...don't see you, they won't attack you. Keep your fighters...on your side of Madiro. You _must_ go after the Destroyer first."

Surprised by how much she knew, he scanned the viewport ahead of him, seeing the lifeless planet Madiro steadily growing in size as they approached it. "Master, what else can you tell me about the drones? Does 'shield modulation technology' mean anything to you?"

"I'm afraid not, and that was all I could gather about them. We still don't know why they're invisible to our scanners."

_Shield modulators... Individual scanners..._

"Edgepoint Zero, requesting permission to aid the _Valiance_."

Elena's voice startled him out of his brief contemplation, but he immediately shook his head. "Not happening, Zero. I need you with the fleet."

"The _Valiance_ doesn't have much time," she argued adamantly. "Those Huxnel drones are quick, but so am I. I can thin them out, give them something else to chase, and let the crew evacuate to Madiro's surface safely."

Though he began to refuse her request again, a small, odd sensation in the back of his mind was compelling him to allow her plan. It was a strange feeling he had never experienced, especially in the middle of such an important operation, but it refused to relinquish its hold on his thoughts. Inexplicably against his better judgment, he eventually released a shaky breath and ceded.

"Concordes, send your two fastest. Leikam and Daslen, go with her, too, even up the odds."

"Yes, Sir," the Edgepoints responded dutifully. The five fighters quickly disengaged from the fleet, and Koril could only listen to their chatter as they disappeared from sight. He watched the _Celestia_'s scanner display in front of him closely, following the five to the other side of Madiro, meeting the _Valiance_...

But before the fighters had even split up to engage the Huxnel drones, Koril noticed new signals suddenly beginning to register on the display, each with a short _blip_. One by one they appeared...encircling the _Valiance _just as Joshua had said. Five, eight, eleven, fourteen...

"I've got the drones on my scope!"

"They just...came out of _nowhere_!"

"Why can we see them now?"

"Quit asking questions, _shoot _them!"

The frenzied chatter continued, amplifying the tense atmosphere, but he stared at the screen in disbelief as the drones' numbers fell amazingly quickly. Though he had seen for himself in the skies above Demmar what nimble craft they were, out in open space they seemed...disorganized and unprepared, as though they weren't programmed to handle a sudden attack and froze up in their disorientation. It had taken the five longer to get to Madiro's opposite side than to mete out such rapid annihilation, but how? What had suddenly made the drones visible and so sluggish?

"That was the last one," Elena reported as she chased down one final drone and destroyed it, removing it from the display. "The Huxnel's Star Destroyer is just a little further around Madiro, High Commander, I can see it from here. _Valiance_, begin your evacuation. We'll watch for more of them."

_Shield modulators...changed frequency...individual scanners_...

"The Rallyes will join you, Edgepoints and Concordes. Opening the hangar deck doors."

_Shield modulators._

"Captain," Koril quickly turned to Jax, "were you watching the scanners while we were leaving Demmar? While Mand was holding those drones back?"

Though confused, Jax nodded.

"Did you see anything come up? Did anything change?"

"No, Sir. We were behind the Valors and the Eclipses as we left the atmosphere."

_Changed frequency_.

"Both were Paneau squadrons," he brainstormed aloud. "All our fighters have the same scanning equipment...the _exact_ same equipment."

"Sir?"

"'Shield modulators'," he drew out as he repeated, "shield modulators...change...the shield frequency." As he pieced together the message Milowi had tried to get to them, a wave of realization neutralized his expression. "If those drones could detect a scanner's frequency, and change their shields to match it _perfectly_..."

"The scanner would think it an anomaly and ignore it," Jax finished for him, astonished as he made the connection, too. "It wouldn't read anything."

"And without a heat signature, either, the drones were completely invisible to us, until..." he paused momentarily, "until they were faced with more than one set of equipment frequencies. The _Valiance_'s scanners are different from our fighters', from the Salastryni fighters'... The drones couldn't hide with three separate scanner frequencies hitting them."

Jax nodded. "They were confused."

Inspired by the sudden insight, Koril returned to the controls in front of him and powered the _Celestia_ past the fleet, putting himself in the lead. "Okay, all squadrons, listen up. New plan: I want the Veils and the Eclipses to pair up; two by two, one from each squadron. Concordes and Valors, do the same. Edgepoint One, trade places with Veil Leader and stay with the _Archisyx_; Veil One, I need you to fly with me. No one is to leave his partner, understood? As long as there are at least two of you together from different squadrons, your scanners will be able to detect the drones. We're heading straight for the Destroyer. Ready your heavy weaponry and turbolasers for the first pass."

"Be careful, High Commander," Joshua warned over the comm. "Even though we can see the drones now...they still number in the thousands. You're going to shake the nest loose before you destroy it."

"Understood, Commander Redgrave," Koril answered with a reluctant sigh. He knew his bulkier, slower yacht was going to have a harder time evading the drones' disastrous energy pulses, but the _Celestia_'s heavy armament was necessary. "Keep your crew moving quickly. We've almost reached the Destroyer."

As Veil Leader flew into place beside them, Koril watched as the Huxnel's Star Destroyer came into view, but he wasn't sure what to make of the numerous holes in its hull. Everything about it looked odd, especially its plating that had intricately and precisely been carved from its surface, though the Huxnel logo remained intact on its side. The engines were quiet, and there were no readings indicating any kind of activity within it; this was the Destroyer that was harboring the thousands of drones?

"Veils and Eclipses, you're with me for the first pass. It doesn't look like it'll take much, but at this point, I'm expecting anything to happen. Concordes and Valors, hang back and await my signal." Taking a brief glance at the sensor screen to see the _Valiance_'s progress, he was surprised to see only the Edgepoints, the two Concordes, and the Rallyes circling the cruiser. "Commander Redgrave, what's the status of your crew?" Getting no response, he checked the scanner again. There weren't any drones around... "Commander Redgrave?"

"All escape pods and shuttles are accounted for and are safely on Madiro's surface, Koril," Master Kanomin reported, already sounding much stronger than she had been earlier. "I'm afraid that Commander Redgrave has opted to stay behind on the _Valiance_, even though I tried to talk him out of it. He wants to get the propulsion systems back up so he can turn the ship and add a little bit more power to your attack."

Though Koril was sure they'd need the _Valiance_'s heavy weaponry to finish the Destroyer, Joshua first needed his crew helping him to restore the engines. Working alone, and working with minimal oxygen, the task would be incredibly difficult, time consuming...not to mention nearly impossible. "Just how long ago did you lose life support?"

Master Kanomin's voice was subdued once more. "Long enough."

He had only seconds to make up his mind before they reached the Destroyer... "Leikam, Daslen."

"On it, High Commander," Leikam answered immediately, and Koril continued quickly.

"Edgepoint Zero, Concordes, stay with the Rallyes and watch your scopes." He looked briefly at Capt. Jax, and getting a nod from him that the _Celestia_ was prepared to begin the attack, he took in a slow, controlled breath, waiting for the right moment... "Veils and Eclipses...fire at will!"

While Koril swept the _Celestia_ over the length of the Destroyer toward its aft, Capt. Jax launched a pair of proton torpedoes as the rest of the fighters flying behind them did the same, planting rumbling, powerful explosions along its dorsal surface. Turbolaser fire rang out, as well, easily ripping through the already weakened outer hull and digging ragged trenches running up to the command tower. As he pulled the yacht up and made a wide turn, he looked out the side viewport, surveying the damage they had inflicted.

Debris sprayed in all directions from the destruction, but their first attack didn't seem to have penetrated very deeply. They would have to punch through hundreds of decks to reach the main reactor nestled within its bulk and deal the final blow, and they'd have to work fast. The Destroyer easily dwarfed the fleet, but what the Paneau and Salastryni fighters lacked in size, they made up for in numbers...until the Huxnel drones began to pour out of the hangar's opening on its underside, already reacting to the first round of bombardment.

"Drones, incoming!!"

"Concordes and Valors, make your run!" Koril ordered as the scope continued to light up with newly detected drones. "Veils and Eclipses, let's give them some cover." Rolling the _Celestia_ down toward the swarm that was still exiting the Destroyer, he kept on a straight course that allowed Jax to fire continuously, making quick work of a dozen or more drones. Just as they had been minutes before, the Huxnel craft still seemed confused, barely reacting to the pairs of fighters that plowed through them. With the Veil Leader at the _Celestia'_s side leading the two squadrons, together they blasted apart drone after drone, but it was quickly getting crowded...

"There are too many of them!"

"I lost my wingman, and I've got one on m--"

"My targeting computer can't lock on to just one, they're too close together!"

"Rallyes are on the way, hold tight!"

"We're not making much of a dent, High Commander," Valor Leader informed him hesitantly over the frantic chatter, "but you're clear for your second pass."

Bringing the _Celestia_ out from under the Destroyer, Koril turned her around and began the approach again, though much faster and much closer to the huge ship's surface than before. "Veils and Eclipses, fire everything you've got!"

"Sir, we're too close--"

"I can handle it, Captain," Koril bit back quickly, his gaze locked firmly out the viewport. Though Jax reluctantly complied, he prepped another proton torpedo pair and launched them, leaving Koril barely enough time to roll away from the resulting explosion. He was deep in concentration, nimbly weaving the _Celestia_ back and forth over the surface as Jax continued to fire turbolasers, picking at the Destroyer's vulnerable plating. As he raced the yacht up toward the command tower once more, he found the trough they had made on the first pass, and glad to see that the second wave had deepened it, he spoke hurriedly.

"Another proton torpedo, now!"

Again Jax complied, and as they fell into the trench, they both exploded with a powerful blast, knocking the _Celestia_ off her course as she passed over it at the same time. Koril struggled to right the yacht as it climbed up, only barely able to dodge an overhang at the base of the command tower before tumbling away from a tall turbolaser turret. Releasing a short breath he had been holding, he briefly glanced at the scanner, and somewhat surprised to see Veil Leader keeping up behind him, he rolled away to pursue three drones who were chasing a lone Valor.

"High Commander, we can't stay organized enough for another pass," Valor Leader said carefully as Jax destroyed the three drones. "Three Concordes and two Valors are down, and they've split the rest of us in half."

"Four Veils and four Eclipses out, too, Sir!" Eclipse Three reported in frustration.

"Rallye Two," one of the New Republic pilots introduced himself for the first time. "We can do some clean up to let your squadrons regroup, Sir."

Before Koril could answer, though, Jax interrupted him, looking at the scanner readout. "The _Archisyx_ was just hit; all its systems have been disabled."

Irritated himself, he pulled the _Celestia_ around onto the tail of another pair of drones, and once Jax had taken care of them, he rolled the yacht back toward the Destroyer. "Rallye Two, do what you can to start extracting our disabled fighters and tow them down to Madiro. Any Paneau or Salastryni fighters that are able to, keep making passes at that Destroyer. We should be able to penetrate to the main reactor with a few more hits..."

Still with Veil Leader beside them and a handful of Veils and Eclipses keeping up behind them, Koril flew over the same path as before, making wide, sweeping passes just atop the damage-riddled hull as Jax fired relentlessly and released a third pair of proton torpedoes into the pit. A few more explosions cast even more debris from the middle decks, but the drones were relentless.

"Another two Veils out --"

"They're starting to disappear again..."

Diving just barely out of the path of an energy pulse discharged from a passing drone, Koril stole a quick glance at the scanner once more. He didn't want to believe how many fighters they had already lost from both the Paneau and Salastryni squadrons, and even though the odds they faced were overwhelming, he was sure they hadn't yet been fighting the entire Huxnel fleet; the majority of the drones still had to be within the Destroyer.

"Pull...your fighters...back," Commander Redgrave hardly managed to say over the comm. Koril almost began to argue, refusing to surrender when they were so close to delivering the last strike, but Redgrave continued. "The _Valiance_...is in position."

"Give us a minute," Koril responded shortly, though he knew they needed to move quickly before Commander Redgrave ran out of air... "Rallyes, report."

"We've tugged a pair of Veils out of the chaos, but the drones are keeping us from getting more. They aren't giving up."

Koril sighed with frustration. "All squadrons, team up into threes and find the nearest disabled fighter to tow to Madiro as fast as you can. Edgepoint Zero, are you in a position to find the _Archisyx_?"

Freezing his breath in his chest, the comm remained silent for several moments until Edgepoint Leader Cal Jax spoke up instead, confirming what he dreaded to hear. "Zero's out, Sir...she took one of those pulses for me. My engines were damaged by a drone that was destroyed just behind me, so I've been unable to move or protect General Magri. She tried to take my place, but the drones came after me, too."

"High Commander," Redgrave returned firmly, "I'm going to...lose...the shot..."

Koril could barely tear his gaze off the viewport as he desperately searched the black swarm for the two Edgepoint fighters floating about aimlessly. His voice hardly worked. "Cal...are you close?"

No response.

"_Cal_?"

"I'll take the brunt of the blast, Sir."

"That's _not_ what I asked!"

"Koril," Redgrave continued urgently, "_now_."

"_Wait_!"

Finally spotting the two just beside the _Archisyx_, Koril sped toward them as fast as the _Celestia_'s engines would burn, dodging more and more energy pulses from the pursuing drones while Jax deftly destroyed them along the way. With mere seconds before he would reach the stranded fighters, he saw two sets of four proton torpedoes fired from the _Valiance_ streak past them, striking the Huxnel Destroyer square in its bulkiest section. Just as it began to light up in spectacular explosions, Koril pulled the _Celestia_ to a dead stop right in front of Cal and Elena's fighters, protecting them and absorbing the first round of blasts.

The modified luxury yacht rocked slightly as it took the initial blows on its broadest side, and its shields only took minimal damage. Within a few moments, though, another two sets of proton torpedoes from the _Valiance_ reached the Destroyer's main reactor, igniting a terrible, destructive shockwave that finally blew the Huxnel ship apart. The second blast violently tumbled the _Celestia_ away, and though blinded by the bright light filling the cabin from the explosion, Koril heard what he thought was the sound of durasteel grinding on durasteel as the Edgepoint fighters' wings struck and deflected off the hull beside them. The three had collided, but Koril strained the engines to fight the blast, trying to prevent it from causing more damage...

After mere seconds that felt like hours, the shockwave dissipated, leaving only the sound of debris clinking against the _Celestia_'s hull without the protection of her deflector shield. Finally able to see again and fighting latent dizziness, he righted the ship, briefly looking over the damage.

"Sir, are you --"

"Cal," Koril began as he reopened the comm channel and ignored Jax beside him. "Cal!"

"Still here, High Commander," Edgepoint Leader managed to respond before a weak cough choked him. Though he was relieved enough knowing that Cal's fighter had survived the blast, he turned the _Celestia_ to face the two and survey their damage.

"The drones have been disabled! They're not moving!" an excited Valor spoke up, briefly distracting him. With a quick glance at the scanner, he saw their inert signals, too, but he wasn't sure if they were out of danger yet.

Returning to the viewport, Cal's fighter looked roughed up but intact, but a spraying cracked pattern on the transparisteel canopy of Elena's fighter concealed her within it and made him panic.

"All fighters, destroy what drones you can, and get all disabled craft down to Madiro, _now_!"

Bringing the _Celestia_ about full circle, he quickly readied the tow cable and fired it, latching it onto her fighter's hull to tug it along behind them. The yacht's engines struggled at first, and as several fighters passed them on their way to retrieve Cal and the _Archisyx_, Koril could hardly breathe in his anxiety. He had no way of knowing if she was still alive inside the fighter, though something told him she would be okay... Was it just wishful thinking, or could he tell through the Force?

Entering Madiro's nearly moistureless but breathable atmosphere, he carefully lowered her fighter to the rough, rocky ground a few meters from the evacuated crew of the _Valiance_ and other disabled fighters who had been placed nearby. Almost immediately, several pilots descended on her ship as he disengaged the tow cable, and quickly landing the _Celestia_ just beside it, he left Jax to the controls as he sprinted down the rear ramp. Within moments, he was standing atop the fuselage just as the other pilots pulled the canopy open...

Kneeling beside the cockpit, he reached in and gently rolled Elena's head back with a hand under her chin and another at the back of her helmet. Seemingly unconscious, her skin was ice cold and her lips were lightly tinted blue, but before he could make anymore assessments, her eyes began to slowly open, allowing him to release a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. She met his gaze and nodded tiredly after a moment to calm his concerns, trying unsuccessfully to swallow in the dry air. He shakily brushed his fingers across her cheek to comfort her, searching her face.

"You're freezing," he breathed apprehensively, and expecting her to argue, he was surprised when she nodded again.

"I'm used to it," she answered with a weak smile. "You know that."

Having to smile a little himself, he nodded, too, and waved his pilots back up to help him lift her out of the cockpit and walk with her back aboard the _Celestia_.


	17. Chapter 17

With an arm tightly wrapped behind Elena's waist, Koril slowly led her up the _Celestia_'s rear ramp to a bench just inside, meeting Captain Jax who was awkwardly carrying an armful of blankets from the yacht's storage. He unwrapped one and began to pull it around Elena's shoulders as she sat down and took off her helmet, but she immediately denied him.

"I don't need one, Captain," she said shakily, still struggling to draw in deep breaths. "Take those to the other pilots outside."

With a wary glance at Koril as he tugged the blanket back up over his arm, he nodded reluctantly. "Yes, m'lady."

Koril knelt in front of her as Jax left, gently taking her icy hand in one of his and placing his other at the base of her neck as he studied her face. "You're getting your color back," he began quietly, "but you're still shaking."

She nodded as she squeezed his hand. "I'm warming up." Still apparently displeased with the look of concern in his eyes, she sighed lightly. "Koril, I'm _okay_. I wish you would believe me..."

Releasing a shaky breath himself, he swallowed dryly as he brushed his thumb over her cheek, his voice soft. "I'm sorry... You really scared me."

Though she didn't say anything in response, passionate depths in her eyes and a tired, sympathetic smile were answer enough for him. With the weight of the conflict with the Huxnel seemingly lifting, he could feel her spirits recovering, relaxing him, as well. They had only been able to spend tense, stressful time together over the past few days following their wedding, and that happy, carefree day seemed to have happened months ago. So much had transpired so quickly, and even taking a half second to think back to what had started it all was incredibly overwhelming.

Though he was still entirely focused on her, she suddenly shifted her attention to the ramp beside them, fading her smile. He turned to look, too, somewhat surprised to see Jedi Master Amina Kanomin approaching them with a New Republic pilot following her. He could feel Elena beginning to stand, but before she could move much, he shifted his hand from her neck to her shoulder, applying gentle pressure to keep her seated. Almost protesting but thinking better of it, Elena looked at him with a brief, weary sigh, then returned to address their company.

"Master Kanomin," she greeted the Jedi with her head lowered. The petite, crimson-clad Jedi Master was quick to ignore it, however.

"Elena, are you alright?" she asked promptly, her sweet Coruscanti accent lessening the intensity of her voice.

Elena nodded. "I'm fine. What about your crew? Have the Rallyes made it back?"

With a brief glance at the pilot behind her, Master Kanomin shook her head. "The Rallyes are helping with the rescue efforts, bringing your fighters down here. The rest of the crew is doing well enough, but I'm not sure how much longer most of us are going to be able to tolerate the arid air here."

"The Liberas are sitting just outside the asteroid field," Koril spoke up, finding his own voice suddenly rough. "I'll send them home to bring back as many transports as we have, and we'll get everyone to Paneau for the time being."

Looking relieved, Master Kanomin nodded. "Good. In the mean time, are there any of your pilots that are in need of attention?"

Intent on getting to Elena as quickly as possible once they had landed on Madiro, Koril hadn't stopped to hear any kind of report on his squadrons or his pilots. With a reluctant shrug, he looked back at the Jedi Master blankly, but Elena answered for him instead.

"Have you treated Commander Jax?" Getting a confused expression from Master Kanomin, she continued. "Edgepoint Leader. He'll need to be looked at immediately."

"I haven't seen his fighter yet, but I'll be sure to find him." Nodding her brief goodbye with a small smile, Master Kanomin left quickly with the pilot behind her. Koril returned his attention to Elena, searching her face with a confused expression on his own, his thoughts drifting back to what Cal had said of her actions just before the Huxnel Destroyer had been demolished...

"Elena," he asked softly, "why did you take that hit for Cal? We still needed you to help stop the drones, and his engines were already damaged."

Seemingly expecting his question, she calmly nodded, matching her voice to his volume. "That's why." Releasing a slow breath, she looked down, briefly contemplating her answer. "I could hear over the comm that his engines were leaking some kind of smoke or fumes into his cockpit. His fighter's life support was working well enough to filter it out, so it wasn't affecting him right away, but...if he had taken that pulse, if his systems had been disabled...he would have suffocated to death before anyone could have gotten to him."

Koril furrowed his brows. "So you suffocated instead."

An exasperated look briefly flashed across her face, but she corrected it quickly. "I was doing well, until my canopy was cracked." Though she almost continued, he could tell she was reluctant to say more. Perhaps she was about to blame him for her fighter's damage; though trying to protect her, the _Celestia_ was knocked against her by the exploding Destroyer, but they both knew that her disabled Edgepoint ship couldn't have survived so close to the blast alone and without any shielding. A few minutes with a cracked canopy was more survivable than the concussive blast that would've immediately torn the fighter apart.

Suddenly looking tired, Elena sighed and reached a hand up to his face, lightly running her frigid fingers through his hair. "Go talk to your men," she ordered quietly. "They need you."

Though he was still concerned about her condition and didn't want to leave her, he nodded after a moment and stood from her, still holding her hand. Returning from the pilots scattered about the area, Capt. Jax approached the _Celestia_ with Salastryn's General Magri, wrapped in a blanket beside him. Elena stood, as well, against Koril's protests and invited the General inside to warm up, leaving Koril and Jax to survey the remnants of the fleet accumulating on Madiro's surface.

* * *

As Mand slowly awoke, she immediately realized that she was no longer in pain at all. She had known nothing but throbbing, aching pain since the explosions on the landing platform days ago on Demmar, so finally without it, she felt liberated...but a strange feeling restrained her excitement. She couldn't feel or sense _anything_; no sounds, no moving air, no thud of her own heartbeat in her ears. As she opened her eyes, she saw herself completely surrounded by black, and though she flexed her arms in front of her and looked at her feet as she stood, she couldn't feel that she was moving. She felt weightless, and she wondered if she had been encased in some kind of mind-numbing, solitary enclosure, until...

"Hello, Mand."

Turning to the familiar voice, she saw the glowing, silvery apparition of her late friend and mentor Jedi Master Aalon Noor. He looked just as she remembered him, older but still youthful and full of energy, as he had been the last time she had seen him on the day of his death over a year ago. She hadn't forgotten his kind smile, either, as he watched her, seemingly gauging her reaction before continuing. But as she looked around, seeing nothing else besides him, she began to panic.

"Am I..."

"No," Noor laughed softly, "no. You're not dead. I told you I wouldn't let anything happen to you. You're...recuperating. Right now, you're just sleeping. After all you've done recently, you needed the rest."

How ironic, she thought to herself, that he would tell her she'd done too much when he was the one who had given of himself well past the point of exhaustion more than once. But glad to see her friend as she hadn't since his death, she tried to return the smile. She was about to respond when his light expression faded suddenly, and he spoke up instead.

"You're worrying me, Mand."

She blinked. He should be proud of her, happy about all her recent accomplishments. She had deftly dueled a Dark Jedi, and though she had been defeated during a brief moment of weakness, she had preserved herself and survived. Singlehandedly, she had held back five of those Huxnel ships in midair, keeping them from attacking and disabling the Paneau and Salastryni fighters. She hadn't drawn on any dark power to do it; she wasn't giving him a reason to worry about her...

His expression was still stern. "You're hiding."

If she could feel her own body, she imagined she would have begun shaking as she wrestled with her emotions he was digging up, and it would have been evident in her voice. "I have to."

"No, you don't," he answered almost immediately. "It's just the easy way out."

She furrowed her brows. "You think hiding like this is _easy_?"

Shrugging casually, he waved his hand toward her. "You make it look so easy. So much so, in fact, that it doesn't even seem like you care."

Finally feeling any kind of sensation as she heard Rech's voice echoing through Noor's, she struggled to breathe as a terrible weight suddenly compressed her chest and threatened to smother her... "I do care," she eventually whispered in response. "That's why I'm...shielding him from it."

Noor simply stood in silence for a long moment, calmly studying her with a concerned expression as he gave her time to sort through her own thoughts.

Even before her encounter with the Dark Jedi Lucien Darkmyre, Mand had cut herself off from her husband and her friends in her grief. Rech had loyally stayed by her side for hours as she lay in paralyzed anguish after losing her child, sometimes speaking softly to her, sometimes sitting in silence, but he never once tried to seal off their connection when her pain had been too much for him to handle along with his own. She knew her misery was hurting him even more, and with the opportunity to hide herself, she took it, and luckily it served a double purpose. Lucien hopefully would have thought her taken care of and no longer an impedance to his plans, and Rech would no longer feel the constant barrage of anger and pain from her. And even after Rech had found her in the rubble after her duel, she refused him the chance to heal her, as it would reopen their connection she had temporarily cinched. She convinced herself that it was what was best for both of them, that she would eventually recover enough to let him back in, but she had seen earlier how absolutely heartbroken he was, and seeing the look on his face only deepened her regret...

None of this emotional turmoil would have happened, she thought, if she had been strong enough to protect her child. All the hiding she was doing was to prove to herself that she _was _strong, strong enough to not need anyone's help, but the more she thought about the ridiculousness of it, the angrier it made her. It was a vicious cycle, and everything came back to that devastating yet survivable attack on the platform... As she looked back up at Noor once more, she easily found a target on which to focus her fury.

"Why are you even bothering to help me now?" she continued darkly, feeling herself beginning to cry with such deep agony resurfacing. "You gave your life to protect Koril and Elena's son a year ago, and they didn't even know about him. Why couldn't you have done _anything_ to protect me and save _mine_??"

Though she had raised her voice irately at him, Noor didn't even flinch, nor did his expression change. His eyes were soft with compassion, but he didn't look guilty as she wanted him to feel. He seemed...troubled, but at the same time sympathetic. His voice was calm and gentle as he spoke, freezing her breath in her chest as she processed what he said.

"You know that explosion was not what claimed your child, Mand."

Though she defiantly refused to believe him, a deep, furious pain tore through her body, doubling her over as she wrapped her arms around her stomach and fell to her knees. It was as though she were reliving the moment on the platform when she realized that her child within her was gone, though it was her heart that seared more intensely instead. He didn't know what he was talking about; of course, the explosion had injured her and her child, how could it have not? She hurt so much, lying on that platform floor in agony...

"You were already hurting before the attack."

Looking up to him as he spoke again, Mand felt herself trembling as she continued to deny it, shaking her head fervently to convince herself at the same time. But Noor only remained compassionate, kneeling in front of her to meet her gaze evenly with the kind concern she remembered well. Though she knew that he was merely a Force Ghost and that she was experiencing their encounter within the confines of her own dream, as he reached out his hands to her, she felt his firm but gentle grip on her arms, steadying her as she wavered in sorrow. As he looked into her eyes, he softened his voice to a faint whisper, though his words were crisp and full of care.

"Your acceptance of the truth, Mand, does not make you any less of a fighter...or a mother."

Again her body shook with sobs, but she was beginning to give in, unable to fight the real reason any longer. She had ignored it before, making it easier to assure herself that it had just been an unfortunate accident, but...she couldn't lie to herself anymore. He was right, as he always had been.

"How am I supposed to tell him?" she pleaded for his advice in between pained gasps. "How am I supposed to tell Rech?"

Noor nodded slowly. "You must tell him the truth, and now that you have accepted it, it will help him to understand everything else."

She could hardly feel herself breathing as her splintering headache suddenly returned full force, blurring her sight and making it nearly impossible for her to see the expression on Noor's face. He recognized her pain, though, and gently cupped a hand against the side of her face to comfort her as he spoke up once more, his voice reticent.

"I do regret that I was not able to help you. You know I would have done anything if I could have, but this...this is something that you and Rech must solve on your own." With a brief pause, he smiled tiredly. "And I know you will."

Her headache was taking over her senses entirely, and replacing the black surrounding Noor, she was beginning to see gray shadows that were cloaking his silvery form, fading him away by the second...

"Don't give up hope," she heard his voice faintly before her pain overtook her once more.

* * *

As Rech sat back down on his chair beside Mand's bed after completing another lengthy healing session, he sighed sadly. He had worked for what seemed like hours on her, but he was becoming concerned about how slowly she was recovering. She had let her injury go for far too long, which was was well evident after her collapse in the street just outside. She was no longer blocking him thankfully, so he could read her feelings once more, and he could tell that something was keeping her stressed and upset, hindering her own body's ability to heal itself.

He looked over her face as she slept, admiring her delicate features that were so tortured by grief even while she was resting. He could feel her pain again, and though it wasn't pleasant, he was almost glad to share it after having felt nothing from her for so long. He wondered if he could alleviate it at all for her, or at least soothe her aching heart somehow...

Hearing the door to her room open behind him, he looked back and was surprised to see Captain Aurin Jax stepping inside. He was alone, but the expression on his face was concerning.

"Captain Jax," Rech greeted him quietly, turning to face him more fully. Jax nodded, looking almost hesitant to speak.

"Mr. Natiyr, Sir, --"

"Captain, please," Rech interrupted him with a small smile. "I'm the one who should be calling _you _Sir. Just call me Rech."

Again Jax nodded. "Rech. I, uh," he stammered briefly, "...there's someone I'd like for you to take a look at."

Rech's smile faded as he furrowed his brows. "Koril? Is he okay?"

"The High Commander's fine," Jax answered quickly. "Busy, but fine." Again he hesitated, looking almost guilty asking for his help...

"It's my wife, Sir--Rech," Jax corrected himself. "She's worrying me."

Rech could relate. "What happened?"

"Well, it's been several hours, but she was hit in the head by some debris from a ship that crashed in the street in front of us. She keeps insisting that she's alright, but I've noticed that she seems to be a little off balance, and she looks uncomfortable, like she's in pain. Do you think you could help her?"

Rech nodded. "Of course, right away." Turning back to Mand and to a Paneau medic who had been monitoring her while Rech worked, he looked her over before glancing up at the medic. "Could you keep an eye on her for a few minutes?"

The medic nodded with a kind smile, "Yes, Mr. Natiyr."

But as Rech turned back around, Capt. Jax looked alarmed.

"I didn't mean to take you away from her --"

"It's okay, Captain," Rech reassured him, "she's stable." He looked down on her once more, releasing a long breath. "I've done all I can for her right now anyway. She'll be fine."

Though he still looked unsettled, Jax nodded and led Rech out of the room to a busier part of the Demmar med center he had come to know well over the past few days. Several Paneau guards were gathered in the hall, escorting officers who had come to collect their fellow wounded and take them home aboard the dozens of transports that had recently landed nearby. They were all being directed, though, by a young woman he recognized, who suddenly looked stern as she stepped toward them.

"Aurin! I told you not to bother him!"

Jax ignored her reprimand, instead turning to introduce them. "Rech, this is my wife, Milowi."

Rech couldn't help but smile. "We've met."

Milowi's expression softened as she sighed at him, looking somewhat embarrassed as she spoke. "I'm sorry he dragged you over here. How is Mand doing? She's going to be okay, right?"

"She will," he agreed, "but I hear you might need some help, too?"

With an annoyed glance at her husband beside him, she shook her head. "I'm fine, really. I just have a small headache, but I hardly even notice it now. It's not bothering me."

"Then it won't hurt for me to do a quick check, will it?"

Though she seemed prepared to dismiss his offer, Captain Jax refused to back down as he pleaded quietly but intensely. "Milowi, _please_."

She sighed again as she glanced back toward the Paneau officers, and deciding they were alright for the time being, she nodded reluctantly and sat on a nearby bench, allowing Rech to sit beside her.

"Just try to relax, okay?" he began with a small smile, and as she closed her eyes, he touched a few fingers to her forehead and concentrated, extending the Force to her, probing for anything out of the ordinary...

It didn't take him long to rule out any major damage she had suffered, but also not detecting any minor problems that could worsen, he lowered his hand and sat back, looking between the two. "Well, I don't think there's anything serious," he reported as Milowi gave Capt. Jax a triumphant look, "but you should still be careful for a while. Keep someone with you at all times, and if your headache gets worse suddenly, find me or another medic immediately, okay?"

Milowi nodded in understanding and stood, eager to return to the guards and officers who were seemingly waiting on her. She quickly stepped past Capt. Jax, squeezing his hand and releasing it discreetly as she left. Rech stood, too, as they both watched her return to her duty and leave with the guards for Paneau. Though Rech was curious, he didn't think it appropriate to pry, since it had taken Jax a lot of courage to ask on behalf of his wife in the first place...

"Eight years," Jax answered Rech's silence with a wan smile. "And she still amazes me every day." Once the guards had all vacated the med center, Jax looked at Rech beside him. "Thank you."

Rech simply nodded. "Anything for Paneau's Royal Forces."

As Jax left to meet the other guards that still remained within the med center, Rech returned to Mand's room to find the medic busily tending to her as she was slowly stirring and moaning in pain. As he swept up to her side, the medic began her report.

"She had a mild seizure, but it was short," she began as she gave Mand a small injection. "I think she's trying to wake up now, and she's still in quite a bit of pain."

Immediately he placed his palm against the side of her face, sending as much healing and calming power as he could to dull her aching as he smoothed back her hair with his other hand. She finally stilled and quieted against his hand, but as she began to open her eyes, he spoke softly to her to avoid startling her.

"Mand...Mand, you're okay..."

Even though her eyes were open enough to see him, her voice sounded unsure. "Rech?"

"I'm right here," he said as he brushed his fingers against her cheek, though she still seemed unsettled. Her eyes looked all about as a worried expression took over her face and she began to panic.

"I can't see you."

"I know, but it's alright," he soothed. "I still have some work to do. Don't worry."

But his reassurances did little to calm her, so he again relied on the Force to slow her accelerating breathing as he continued to stroke her hair.

"Shh...relax, Mand. I won't let anything happen to you."

A strange look filtered through her expression, but she seemed to be calming the longer he caressed her face, easing her headache with a cooling sensation from his fingers. Seeing her tranquil once more made it harder for him to bring it up, but he had to know...

"Mand," he began carefully, "...your skull was fractured, badly. You exacerbated it when you held those ships back." She winced as though she had recalled how much it had hurt. Still, he pressed on. "It happened when that ceiling collapsed on you, didn't it?"

After a long moment, she nodded reluctantly, and her eyes, though unfocused, looked remorseful.

"You had to know," he whispered in disbelief. "You had to be in _so_ much pain... Mand," he breathed, "...why didn't you _tell_ me? I would have healed you no matter what. You shouldn't have had to suffer like that so needlessly. Why wouldn't you let me know?"

Her eyes quickly glistened with tears as she struggled to answer, but surprisingly her voice was clear as she responded.

"Because...I thought that to be strong...I had to prove that I didn't need you to save me. I thought that if I was strong enough to save myself...I should have been strong enough to save our child...but I'm not. I never needed you more.

"I wanted to hurt. I wanted to feel the throbbing pain...because maybe it would have covered up the heartache, but it only made it worse. Accepting the truth," she paused as her voice began to shake, "was the only way to recover."

Rech blinked, struggling to make sense of it all. "I don't understand. What truth? What are you talking about?"

She took in and released a trembling breath, and even though she looked as though she could break down completely at any moment, she held herself together long enough to continue. "Do you remember the day you found me?"

He nearly choked on his own breath. He had spent four years searching for her after she had been kidnapped in broad daylight from a Coruscant market, and defeating her captor, an evil Dark Lord, he held her in his arms again... His voice hardly worked. "How could I forget?"

"You took me to that Corellian med center."

Though he knew she couldn't see him, he nodded. "You were malnourished."

"And we found out about Cordira."

Again, he nodded. "You were..." he trailed off, beginning to figure out where she was going...

"Five weeks," she finished quietly for him, her voice shaking. "Then the next week..."

"You started getting sick."

At first they thought she had contracted some kind of disease while she had been held captive, but Master Noor had somehow put it together that the baby, an altered clone, was draining her of specific nutrients, sending her body into a frenzy. She suffered numerous black outs, hallucinations, delusions...

"My body was trying to...get rid of her," she managed in between sobs, "but she...she fought back, and nearly killed me instead."

He swallowed hard; he knew what she was going to say before she said it.

"I was already losing this baby...before the platform explosions..." Freely crying, she closed her eyes and turned her face away from him, trying to hide her shame. "I can't give you a child...I can't..."

But moved with compassion instead of the anger she seemed to be expecting from him, he gently turned her head back to him, lightly brushing her tears from her cheek with his thumb as he tried to quietly console her. "Shh...Mand, don't cry," he added with a short laugh. "You'll make your headache worse." Though she continued sobbing intermittently, she made a concentrated effort to calm her own breathing, allowing him to keep going. "Mand, listen to me...listen. We will find a way. We fought _so_ hard for Cordira...and we'll fight again, okay? This is not the end. I won't give up if you won't."

Though tears were still streaming from her eyes, she looked up at him with her sightless gaze and nodded, her voice weak. "Okay."

Barely breathing himself, he nodded, too, and leaned over her to kiss her on the temple. She seemed to be hurting again as her forehead creased with another wince, so he sat back down on the chair beside her bed, and still with his palm against her cheek, he opened himself up to the Force once more to resume his work.

"Relax," he whispered as he returned her to a light slumber, "I won't leave you."


	18. Chapter 18

With the flow of returning Royal Guards and pilots finally dwindling, Koril released a long, tired sigh as he looked up and watched a few lumbering transports leave the Dalon Main Spaceport and return to their home hangars scattered about the city. He had traveled from Demmar to Paneau and back countless times already in the past few hours, on each trip supervising the return of Paneau's disabled fighters to the Royal Navy hangar nearby for repair. Having recovered and accounted for all of them, he was at last able to stay on Paneau soil for more than a few minutes. His Admirals and Generals were convening at the command center beside the spaceport for a meeting, and though he knew the outcome of the battle at Madiro had been costly for his fleet, he was glad he would be getting somewhat positive reports.

A group of Elite Guards led by Captain Aurin Jax met him at the _Celestia'_s rear ramp, bringing his attention back down into the hangar. They were prepared to escort him next door, even though he hadn't requested them, but he had spent a lot of time over the past few days with the captain and couldn't deny him involvement in the closing procedures. Though the guards remained silent for the few minutes it took to reach the command center, Captain Jax took up stride beside Koril as they both nodded, expressing unspoken respect for each other. An odd kind of relief was evident on Jax's face, Koril noticed, as though something else entirely was on his mind, but since he remained quiet, Koril decided he'd ask about it after the meeting.

The command center was bustling with activity, as usual, but his officers all dutifully paused to salute him as he walked by, and he reciprocated it to return them to their jobs. Though the Royal Guard had been organized and well-prepared to defend its cities, Paneau had remained untouched throughout the whole ordeal with the Huxnel, and those guards and pilots that had been mobilized to Demmar and later to Madiro had performed admirably, as he had expected them. He couldn't have asked much more of his men, and passing dozens on his way to the conference room, he couldn't help but smile with pride. Jax noticed his expression, and just before he opened the door in front of them, he stopped briefly, turning to face him.

"You have the complete loyalty of the entirety of the Royal Forces, High Commander," Jax told him quietly. "You know that."

"I do," Koril agreed, glancing back at his officers who had resumed their work. "And the day I take that for granted," he continued solemnly as he returned to Jax, "...is the day Paneau falls."

Taking a moment to appreciate the gravity of his statement, Jax nodded respectfully and pressed the panel at the door to open it, leading him inside to the oval table where his Royal Guard and Royal Navy leaders awaited him.

More than ten officers stood and saluted when he entered the room, and after returning it and sitting at the head of the table, they, too, sat back down, looking expectantly at him. His two Admirals, Mik Sokol and Jahn Radaly, sat to his right with a few Majors remaining standing behind them, and to his left were his Generals, Alec Kareu and Tenak Erro, also flanked by a handful of Corporals. Just as Koril was about to invite General Kareu to begin his report, though, the elder Admiral spoke up first.

"High Commander," Radaly began, "have you been evaluated by our medics since you've returned?"

Briefly taken aback by the question, Koril shook his head, glancing at the four. "Not yet, but...I will later today. My health is not an issue right now, understood?"

The officers nodded, and though it was not the way he had hoped to begin the meeting, he released a short breath to clear his mind and returned to Kareu. "General, your report, please."

Kareu nodded and sat forward, subconsciously tapping the table in front of him as he thought. "Of the two hundred guards mobilized in the first wave on Demmar, four were injured and two were killed in the shuttle blasts, and two were killed by Huxnel agents near the platform, as you recall, High Commander. The thousand that arrived later with Captain Jax and myself were quickly dispersed about the city but were unable to find any other trace of the Huxnel within Wray. Salastryn's General Magri reported that his men recovered First Regent Onndo where your Lt. Brader reported seeing him, but the injuries he sustained at the hands of those Huxnel agents...claimed him about an hour ago."

Stunned, Koril sat motionless for a moment before he leaned forward and rested one forearm on the table and rubbed his face with his other hand, dismayed. Onndo had been the reason for all of their troubles with the Huxnel, having essentially arranged the first invasion in exchange for a deadly weapon schematic, but more than anything, Koril wanted answers out of the villainous crook. How had he known Paneau's secret? What plans did he have for that fleet of drones armed with the ship-disabling ion pulses? How deep did his corruption go within Demmar's elected officials? With Onndo gone, it seemed that none of his questions would be answered, unless his cohorts confessed to their involvement. But considering how many years Demmar had been embroiled in scandal, he sighed frustratedly with the realization that any further inquiries would most likely be useless and nothing but a waste of his time.

As Kareu continued, Koril leaned back in his chair to listen. "Second Regent Edeben Edlu is assuming command of their forces, but I've been told that there is a possibility that he was in on the scheme with Onndo, and the Demmar are aware of it, as well. They're asking for Sado Qi as their First Regent."

Koril nodded. "That's good. She seemed...genuine, unlike the rest of Onndo's staff."

His interest piqued, General Erro tilted his head slightly and spoke up for the first time. "Isn't she the one who found Mand Natiyr?"

Again, Koril nodded, and earning curious looks from the rest of his officers, he elaborated. "Mrs. Natiyr took it upon herself to find Onndo to make him explain his involvement in what was happening. Instead, she encountered Ms. Qi, wounded by the five Huxnel agents who had Onndo as their prisoner. She protected the Regional Regent when one of the agents attacked, and after a portion of the ceiling collapsed on top of her, Ms. Qi found us nearby and brought us to her so we could rescue her. Without Ms. Qi's help, we might not have found her in time."

"Do we know where those agents went, High Commander?"

General Kareu's question was immediately answered by Sokol. "They left aboard a shuttle, Sir."

Nodding, Koril looked to Sokol. "I know. I sent Lt. Brader after them."

Sokol's expression fell as he continued. "Just after you left with the fleet for Madiro...we lost track of both the shuttle and Lt. Brader's fighter outside the city. We haven't been able to find either."

After releasing a short breath in his compounding distress, Koril lowered his head. He had personally ordered Brader to follow the Huxnel shuttle, trusting the Edgepoint's skills in the cockpit to serve him well, so how could he not feel responsible?

"Searches are ongoing, Sir," Sokol continued quietly. "If he's still on Demmar, we'll find him."

Koril nodded solemnly, but intent on keeping the meeting going instead of dwelling on the missing lieutenant, he neutralized his expression and looked back up at Sokol. "Your report, Admiral?"

Sokol picked up a datapad on the table in front of him and quickly looked it over. "Two Valors, four Eclipses, and six Edgepoints were disabled, but all were returned safely to the Mazari Hangar. Preliminarily, it seems that most should be salvageable, but some will require the exchanging of their entire internal circuitry. When we get a better estimate of the damage in each fighter, we can make a more informed choice on repair or replacement. As it stands, our squadrons are operating at fifty-two percent, but on a positive note...we didn't lose _any _pilots over Madiro. Commander Cal Jax was a close call, again, but this time only his fighter's engines were damaged. Even the Edgepoints you sent to the disabled _Valiance_ returned unscathed. The Royal Navy operated very well against the Huxnel drones, Sir, alongside Salastryn's squadrons. We couldn't have asked for a better outcome against that Destroyer."

Though weighted down with the earlier reports, Koril felt his mood lighten somewhat, exceptionally proud of his pilots. He nodded in agreement, and about to add his own remarks, he heard footsteps coming around the corner from the room's second entrance that stopped him. A pair of Royal Guards led Jedi Master Amina Kanomin and Commander Joshua Redgrave into the room, and though they surprised him, he stood, as did the rest of the room, to show them respect. Standing at the table's edge opposite Koril, Master Kanomin quickly waved them to sit as Joshua slowly lowered himself into a chair beside her, looking fatigued.

"Master Kanomin, Commander Redgrave," Koril addressed them as he sat, "I thought you would have returned to Coruscant by now."

The Jedi Master smiled with a light laugh. "On what ship, dear? Your Edgepoints were absolutely brilliant at getting the _Valiance_ to come back to life briefly, but...the trip ahead of us is quite a bit longer than that, I'm afraid." Shaking her head to dismiss his awkward grin, she continued. "Commander Redgrave and I decided it best we remain here until the subspace network has been restored and you are reconnected with the rest of the galaxy. I was able to get a message out to the New Republic a few hours ago, and they are very eager to send whatever supplies are needed. Other than the obvious necessity of new transceivers, I told them you might be in need of some new fighters."

Though surprised, Koril shook his head immediately. "Master, I appreciate the aid, but it's really not neces--"

"Koril," she interrupted more forcefully though she pleaded gently, "...please. Allow us to repay you for your losses. When I told them what might have befallen Coruscant and what did happen here...they couldn't offer replacement fighters fast enough."

But Koril continued to refuse, determined. "Master, honestly... At least over Madiro, we didn't lose anything we can't replace or repair."

With their gazes locked together, Master Kanomin also stood her ground, her eyes intense. "Then we can provide you with the equipment and parts." After a moment, she smiled kindly, though, her blue eyes lightening. "You know me, Koril. I won't take no for an answer."

Resigning with a light sigh and a smile, he nodded, recalling her unwavering resolve in their past encounters. When he first met the strong-headed Jedi Master a year and a half prior, she had rescued him from near death at the hands of bounty hunters and then hid him in the safety of the Jedi Temple without hearing his protests. She took care of him while everyone else thought him killed, but with almost every interaction they had, she always exerted her will while somehow managing to honestly convince him to agree to her plan. Everything she did for him helped him while the investigation went on, and it didn't take him long to learn to go along with her requests. Once again disarmed by her charm, he looked at her with a defeated expression.

"Salastryn will receive supplies, as well?"

Master Kanomin nodded firmly. "Salastryn will receive supplies, as well. We'd even like to extend aid to Demmar, as soon as they can get themselves sorted out."

General Kareu arched an eyebrow. "That will take some time..."

Undaunted, she continued. "We won't ignore the needs of the Demmar because of the wrongs of their leaders. Everyone will get assistance."

"Speaking of," Koril transitioned, "is there anything we can do to accommodate your crew, Master, Commander Redgrave?"

With a brief glance down at Joshua seated beside her, she smiled again. "Lodging will do for now. Thank you."

Koril nodded. "Admiral Radaly, please make the necessary arrangements for the _Valiance _crew and for the Rallyes. Admiral Sokol, get me that report on the status of the fighters as soon as you can, and send a few Valors out to greet our New Republic supply ship. I want to know as soon as it arrives, and I want to be kept up to date on the search for Lt. Brader, as well. General Erro, maintain contact with Salastryn's General Magri on their progress and on any needs that arise. And General Kareu, see what kind of...assistance we can offer to Regional Regent Qi."

Getting acknowledgements from his officers, he stood and returned their salutes to send them to their tasks. Joshua slowly stood with help from Master Kanomin, and he, too, left with the others, aided by a Paneau guard for stability. Though Koril watched him with concern as he left, Master Kanomin stepped up beside him, speaking softly.

"He'll be alright, Koril. He's just a little...short on energy right now."

Koril suppressed a laugh. "I know how _that _feels."

Looking up at him, Master Kanomin smiled appreciatively. "Your Edgepoints saved his life." After a brief pause, she shrugged. "Well, I suppose they saved all our lives," she mused lightly. "They certainly know their trade."

Returning the smile, he nodded. "They wouldn't be Edgepoints if they didn't."

Though she nodded in agreement, her expression fell as she glanced out the conference room's east-facing window, looking out onto a calm dusk that was rapidly approaching Dalon. "Koril," she began more solemnly, "...Elena tells me that one of the Huxnel was a Dark Jedi."

He nodded reluctantly. "He attacked Mand."

"...is she okay?"

Though he opened his mouth to respond, he stopped himself just in time as he realized he couldn't. He hadn't heard any word of her condition since wrapping up the offensive over Madiro, nor did he know where she or Rech were. Surely they had returned to Paneau from Demmar already, but he couldn't be sure. He sighed, confessing his ignorance. "To be honest, I don't know. After the Dark Jedi brought down a ceiling on top of her...I don't know how she could be. But Rech's been with her, and she single-handedly saved our mission to Madiro. We weren't going to get anywhere with five of those drones tailing our fleet as we left Demmar, but she stopped them. We didn't lose any craft."

Hardly looking surprised, she nodded, sighing lightly as she tucked a stray curl of her brown hair from her face. "I should probably stay with Joshua for the time being. Let me know how she's doing?"

Getting another nod from him, she smiled softly and touched his arm as she passed him to leave. Stopping at the door, though, she turned back to him, her expression light. "And before I leave, I'm going to have to see that adorable son of yours again. I didn't get near enough time with him at your reception." With another kind smile, she left, leaving him alone in the room with Capt. Jax.

* * *

Finally settled in a bed in one of the larger first floor rooms of the Rys'tihn Manor, Mand kept her eyes closed in the dim lighting though she knew she wouldn't sleep. Her lingering headache was mostly pacified by the darkness, though the soft beeping of her monitors behind her didn't help. She heard the nurse shuffling around beside her, but as long as she didn't make any sudden, loud noises, she didn't mind.

Rech had been in and out since he had gotten her home from Demmar nearly four hours ago, but even his lengthy healing sessions did little to alleviate the pounding headache. He had mended her cracked skull, but she still had a decent recovery ahead of her if she couldn't shake the remaining pain. She idly thought that maybe she was preventing her own healing, left alone to brood over the past few days' events. Even if she hadn't been wounded so seriously, she suspected she might have been reduced to laying weakly in bed all day anyway, her grief and conflict manifesting physically as severe fatigue.

The door to her room quietly opened beside her, and she was glad to be facing away from the bright but brief light from the doorway. Though drained of energy, she was still able to tell that her visitor was not her husband, and she remained still until she heard the nurse speak up softly.

"High Commander, you should come back later. She's sleeping."

Surprised that Koril was her visitor, Mand slowly turned her head toward them, releasing a slow breath as she opened her eyes minimally to see them. Koril was dressed in one of his nicer uniforms, a simple deep indigo suit with a bold golden stripe crossing his chest diagonally and ornamented only by his rank badge below his shoulder. She had seen him in it at official functions, but not around his own home. He must have stopped by before going on to something more important. Unsure of the reason for his visit, she managed to find her voice.

"It's okay," she directed at the nurse, wincing lightly at the roughness of her words. Both looked surprised to see her alert, but the nurse still seemed reluctant. After a moment of thought, she returned to Koril as she sighed softly.

"Just a few minutes, High Commander," she told him. "She needs to stay relaxed."

Though Koril looked hesitant, as well, he nodded. "Very well. Thank you."

With a small bow, the nurse quietly stepped out of the room, leaving Koril to approach Mand with a slow gait as he carefully tugged a chair to her side. His expression was hard to read, but as he met her gaze, his eyes lightened with an apologetic smile.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," she whispered, "I was just resting."

Again his expression went unreadable, but the concern in his voice was noticeable. "How are you feeling?"

She took in a slow breath to combat the worsening aching. "My head still hurts, but...at least I can see again. Rech's been hard at work."

Koril furrowed his brows as he glanced behind himself at the empty room. "Where is he now?"

"I think he went upstairs to...relieve the nannies for a few minutes," she managed with a small smile. "He's been wanting to hold Cordira ever since..."

She couldn't bring herself to say it; she couldn't even control the breath that froze in her chest. Her eyes blurred involuntarily, so she closed them and called on the Force to calm her nerves and release the tension... She felt Koril's warm hand on her arm ease some of her stress, and looking back up at him to see his features entirely saturated with compassion, she nodded her thanks as she released a shaky breath. She needed something else to focus on, and without further questions from him, she reached underneath the light sheet that lay on top of her and unclipped Elena's saber that still hung on her belt. Her guilt and embarrassment for taking the weapon from her best friend without permission kept her gaze firmly fixed on the hefty silver hilt in her hand as she extended it to him, unable to look at his face.

"I assume you came to retrieve this?"

He took it from her grip slowly, looking it over absentmindedly as he thought. As his gaze returned to her, though, she was surprised to see sympathy in his eyes, nothing more.

"You know she would have given it to you if you had asked, Mand."

Though ashamed, she nodded, biting her lower lip anxiously. She knew, but her actions had been so...brash, impulsive, and irresponsible. She hadn't been in the right mindset at the time, and looking back on it, she wanted nothing more than to forget it. Thankfully he didn't dwell on it long, though, keeping his voice low as he moved on.

"I'll take it to her, but that's not why I came. I wanted to talk to you." He waited for her eyes to meet his once more before he continued. "Swip told me what you did, what happened to you. That was...an _unbelievable _sacrifice."

She blinked, her voice weak. "I had to."

"If you hadn't," he shook his head, "we would have never left Demmar, and we would have lost everything. You have made such an enormous impact throughout all of this, despite what had happened to you." He paused briefly to gently grip her hand at her side, his eyes soft but genuine. "As your Head of Security, and as your friend...I can't thank you enough."

Though she knew she didn't deserve his praise, she nodded after a long moment for his sake. She felt like nothing but a failure, having lost in a duel to Lucien, letting him and the other Huxnel escape. Her own body wouldn't allow her to nurture a tiny, innocent life because of what the experimentation had done to her years ago, and she knew she was nothing but disappointing to Rech for the way she cut him off from her feelings in the aftermath of her loss. She had almost begun to remind Koril of her unforgivable mistakes when he spoke up first instead, though his tone was much more subdued than before.

"I also wanted to talk to you...to apologize for the way I treated you on Salastryn."

Dumbfounded, Mand furrowed her brows as she struggled to understand his logic. Just after the security summit had closed in Amavelle on Salastryn and was being moved to Demmar, she had let slip that she had been involved in the theft of the painting belonging to Tarin and Jaala Scorne, and Koril had pieced together that it coincided with his Aunt Jaala's death... In his shock and disbelief, he left her behind without a second thought, and she deserved it.

Looking at him again, she shook her head, hardly able to find her voice. "You don't owe me an apology, Koril. You had every right to be upset with me; you still do."

But Koril shook his head, too, his expression resolute. "I overreacted. You were trying to explain, but I wasn't even listening." Though he said nothing more, his eyes encouraged her to tell her story, and despite wanting nothing more than to bury it with her dark Huxnel past, she felt oddly compelled to explain. It wouldn't exonerate her from her contribution to Jaala's death, but perhaps it would at least put his mind at rest.

She sighed shakily, pulling her thoughts together as she recalled what she could. He tightened his grasp around her hand just slightly, though whether for his comfort or hers, she didn't know. After allowing the silence to linger for a moment more, she rolled her head away from him to stare at the ceiling as she spoke.

"It was supposed to have been a clean operation. We were to be in and out and gone before anyone noticed what had happened..." Swallowing hard to calm her quivering voice, she slowly continued. "She wasn't supposed to die..._no one_ was.

"My partner and I were assigned to...acquire the painting not long after Onndo hired the Huxnel for it. I was simply the extractor; my partner spent more than six months getting himself into the Scornes' shipping business and working his way up through the ranks to get a better survey of their security. He got close to Jaala, though...closer than he was supposed to. But he did his part; he got all the intel we needed.

"It only took us a few days to devise a plan to circumvent all the trips and triggers in the vault where Tarin kept the painting. We had _everything_ under control: we knew when the guards would be changing, when certain key hallways would be empty, what the security codes would be for that day... We were almost ready, a mere three hours before we'd set our intricate plan into motion...when everything changed.

"Somehow, another group of pirates caught wind of the painting's secret, and they wanted it. Jaala was just coming back from a trip off-planet, and he would have been with her when I took it if we had been able to wait, so as to keep suspicion away from him, but we had to start ahead of schedule, and he raced to meet her ship to escort her home while I began the extraction before the pirates arrived.

"I had gotten to the painting unnoticed, had tucked it away in a durable canister, and was on my way out when I found myself in the one tunnel that hadn't been cleared. In his haste to get to Jaala, my partner had left one last security trigger on...and I tripped it. I was sealed inside, and the only way I was going to get out alive was if he came back and somehow carved through the ice rock to get me out before it imploded.

"He could have let me die. The painting would have survived the blast just fine, and he could have simply recovered it later. He didn't have to come back for me...but he left Jaala vulnerable instead. He got through the wall somehow and pulled me out just as it collapsed, and even though we were both injured by the pressure escaping from the hole he had created, we were both still alive... As we were leaving, we could only watch as the pirates destroyed Jaala's shuttle before she could even reach her home hangar.

"He was never the same after that. He blamed himself for the choice he had made, but I still don't understand it. I don't know if at that point in my life that I would have done the same for him...but I guess with both Tarin and Jaala gone, it didn't matter if anyone knew who had taken the painting. We had been successful, and that was all that mattered to our superiors."

Postponing meeting his gaze again, she glanced about the room wherever he wasn't, her voice shaking even more. "I should've told you."

Surprising her, Koril's voice sounded more curious than critical. "How long have you known?"

"About a year," she answered quietly. "Elena was telling me about the first time you went to Hoth together...to get Jaala's things. That's when I knew."

Another tense silence hung between them for what felt like an eternity, but Mand was unprepared for his next question.

"Your partner... It was Horatio Sheridan, wasn't it?"

The stunned, terrified look on her face was almost immediate. She had yet to even tell Rech of her ties with Horatio, and she wasn't sure if she had the stomach to after all the trouble he had caused them recently; it would only open more wounds, and she didn't think she could handle any further distress.

Koril seemed to expect her reaction, though, sighing lightly as he explained. "He mentioned having worked with her, and that they had been close enough for her to have confided family information to him. That's why we met him, for what he knew about Jaala's research on a Rys'tihn ancestor."

Though desperate to formulate a response, her mind was blank. He now knew that it was her former partner that had both saved his life and nearly killed him just months ago, that she and Horatio had a long, intricate history together, and she hadn't yet told any of her closest friends who had encountered him. Would he expose her for her lies and her undisclosed past in retaliation for the death sentence she had inadvertently handed to his aunt?

But amazingly, Koril's eyes never showed anger of any kind. He looked saddened at times and at others unsure, but as he looked at her once more, his expression couldn't have been any further from angry.

"Mand," he began softly, "it's done. It has long since been over. Nine years is a long time to bring about change in someone. It sounds to me like his choice began to change you, too. He based his decision on what he thought was right, and if you think about it, that's how you operate, as well. You don't understand it because it's such an innate part of you, your mind can't even make sense of it. You just do it, you don't have to mull it over.

"I know you won't believe me," he paused as he looked down briefly, "but...now that I know, I _am_ glad that he went back for you. I can't even begin to imagine what the last seven years would have been like if you hadn't first come to Paneau...intent to destroy us. But you did the right thing: you chose a friendship over your orders. You didn't even have to think about it.

"And likewise, I don't have to think about this, either: it was _not_ your fault, and I do not want this to change our friendship. I have nothing but the utmost faith in you, and I always will." A small smile formed at the corners of his mouth as he continued. "Do you think you can accept that?"

Though she had been trying to hold back tears for fear of making her headache worse, a few escaped as she nodded shakily and offered a small smile of her own in return. Even without the energy to, she somehow managed to slowly raise herself up from her bed to meet his warm, comforting embrace, feeling her heart lift the longer he held her.


End file.
